


Painful Memories

by Cheycartoongirl8



Series: Painful Memories [1]
Category: Monsters Inc. (Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Childhood Memories, Childhood backstory, F/F, F/M, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, Multi, Past Rape/Non-con, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27597611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheycartoongirl8/pseuds/Cheycartoongirl8
Summary: When Mike and Sulley find a book, they discover that it was written by none other than Randall Boggs! They read the book to discover things about the lizard monster that he never wanted none of his co-workers to find out about.
Relationships: Celia Mae/Mike Wazowski, Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Series: Painful Memories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017574
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I've been working on this story for years, yet it always seemed to be deleted. Now here it is, finally up.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Life can have many ups and down for people. Some of more ups, others more down. Yet you never know what the curveball of fate will do to you. Everyone's life and struggles are never the same. You meet friends, enemies, and everyone in between. These people defined you even though you don't know it. And for one person, or should I say monster, he knows how life can be like. To those at first glance, he's just a crotchety monster with a bad attitude, but what most don't see is a shattered monster, holding to a slim silver lighting. And this is the story of how his co-workers learned of his tale and learn just how deep those scars has been embedded into him.

Morning descended onto the bustling city of Monstropolis. Monsters of all shapes and sizes went about their daily lives. A large blue furred monster with purple spots and a small round green cyclops made their way to work. These monsters were James P. Sullivan, known as Sulley and Mike Wazowski, the best Scare Team in the Scaring Factory, Monsters. Inc. They were chatting about random stuff, groceries they needed to pick up, reminiscing about family members, weather, sports, news, every day things. As the two walked then, they had yet to notice a strange black book in the middle of the floor. Without a warning, Mike slipped on it.

"Ow!" he cried out.

"You okay, Mikey?" Sulley asked, helping his friend up.

"Yea… I slipped on something." Looking around, the smaller monster found the item that had caused him to fall. He picked it up. "Hey! It's a book!"

"That's odd. Someone must've planned on reading it during lunch. Let's ask around later for it. They might be looking for it."

"Oh sure, sure…" Mike waved off.

After a quick chat with Celia and Mike flirting with her, they went on their way to their lockers. The green cyclops was looking through it. Then he suddenly burst out laughing. Sulley looked at him.

"What's so funny?"

"This Sul! Look! It was written by no other than Lizard-Boy!"

The "Lizard-Boy" that Mike was referring to, was Randall Boggs, a purple reptilian monster with four arms, four legs, a blue tail and large emerald green eyes. To his co-workers, his was just unpleasant to be around. But to Mike, he was his ex-college roommate, who had backstabbed him. Yet to him, he didn't care if Randall tried to apologize, he just turned into a bad egg, no matter what. Sulley looked in the book and sure enough there was Randall's signature.

Randall J. Boggs.

What the J was for, Sulley had no idea. He could only guess.

"I didn't know Randall wrote a book."

"Maybe it's his diary! Oh the secrets we could learn!"

"If it's his diary, then we shouldn't look through it. Those are his private thoughts." Sulley interjected, trying to grab the book. "We should return it to him."

Mike dodged his friend.

"No way! This could be a goal changer Sul!"

Just as he was about to say more, he saw Randall coming in. He through the book into his locker, slamming it shut. Randall paid no mind, as he was busy looking down on the ground. He scowled, not finding for what he was looking for.

"Um… hello Randall. Looking for something?" Sulley asked.

The lizard monster, looked up and glared at him. Deciding if he should, he relented.

"Yea, I'm looking for a black book. You two seen it?"

"Well-"

"Nope, not a thing!" Mike interrupted. "But we'll keep a look out."

Randall stared at him for a moment, then walked off. Mike let out a sigh of relief. That was a close one. Sulley looked at his friend, not happy with him.

"Mike…"

"What? What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"This is not going to end well…" Sulley sighed.

At lunch, Mike and Sulley were sitting with the rest of their co-workers. Mike had made sure that Randall wasn't around. He learned that he and Fungus were going to one of the restaurants in town. Perfect. Everyone was talking about everyday things when they noticed that Mike was reading a book. George looked over.

"Hey Mike, what are you reading?"

"Just this book, I found." The cyclops stated airly, "Apparently it was written by Randall."

Everyone at their table looked at him.

"Randall?" Charlie Proctor, George Sanderson's assistant, echoed.

"Yep!"

"Let me see!" Pete "Claws" Ward exclaimed, grabbing the book and looking it over.

Mike snatched it back.

"H-hey Wazowski, why don't you read it to us?" Needleman asked.

"I don't see why not."

Sulley shook his head.

"Chapter 1," Began Mike, "The Beginning.

To those who don't know me, my name is Randall Boggs. I'm a purple reptilian monster with a blue tail, four arms, four legs, three fronds on top of my head, and bright emerald green eyes. To anyone who has met me, they claim I'm as cold as my blood. Which to them, they don't know what I've been through. They haven't walked in my steps, they haven't experienced what I've gone through. Well this book, this book I decided to write how my life is.

My life has many down casts. Many painful memories. This is the book to recognize those memories. And this… this is my painful story.

Like most people, I can't remember my infant years, my earliest memories is when I was three if I had to thing hard enough. But I do have dreams… or maybe it's buried memories, something like that. I don't recall much. But I do remember the feelings. They're strong when I try to think about it. Fear. So strong sometimes that I have panic attacks. I learned when I was young that they were caused by the people who was supposed to love me, to protect me, and that is when I learned the truth of my beginnings.

I was born into an abusive family. I don't remember what my mother or father looks like. All I know is that my father had the same purple coloring as me and my mother was blue like my tail. I discovered that I was a combination of what my parents look like through a picture that I had received. My father was a strong snake-like monster, muscles strong underneath his scales. He had four long threatening looking fronds, two arms with long sharp claws on the end of his three fingered hands. He had the same colored eyes like mine, but colder. My mother was blue with gecko padded fingers and toes like mine.

I was born on March 26, 1976. While most parents were thrilled at the thought of having a child… mine weren't. They didn't want me. Didn't love me. They hated kids, yet they kept me. Why would two monsters who hate kids, have a child? One word. Money. Money from them keeping me and raising me, was all they wanted for the one thing they did care about, drugs. Due to their drug induce habits I developed health problems, and not only that, a majority of them was because I was born prematurely. And premature reptiles were known to have health issues. I was born at three months into my egg cycle. Too early to be out. I spent a good solid six months into the hospital because of my health.

When the time did finally come for them to take me home, it wasn't a joyous occasion. Only since I could remember the home was dirty. I vaguely remember trash and… broken bottles… maybe drug equipment. I can't say for sure, since I'm only remember this from memory like dreams. What I do remember was being yelled at, beaten, starved and… the worst thing to be done to a child, sexual abuse.

I don't recall any of the other monsters' faces it, and I don't think I ever will. I was often left in my own waste, I was filthy, undernourished, neglected. They never fed me, never bathed me, never clothed me. I was left to suffer their abuse. I was nothing to them but a cash cow.

I didn't learn anything from them. I didn't learn how to talk, how to walk, or crawl. When they did take the time to care for me, it was more for them to kill me. They tried to drown me multiple times and even fed me bleach. How I survived to this day still baffles me. When they didn't want to be acknowledge with my presence, they tossed me into a closet. The closet, to do this day, I view as my personal safe heaven when I get so panicked that I can't think. It's the first place I know as safe.

I can't remember how, or when, but eventually I was rescued after I was turned two. I can't say what month it was, but it was warm out. Our neighbors, who I don't remember their names, had called the health department on them. During the search, they found me, and child services were called. I was terrified. Anyone I have met has harmed me. The outside world was strange and terrifying to me. I trusted no one. I feared everyone and everything.

By the time I had calmed down, my parents were being into the police car, but not before threatening me. Why? I don't know, but I could still hear those haunting words as he looked at me.

"This is all your fault, you stupid, pathetic waste! When I get out of jail, I will finish off what I started!"

I shivered at the thought of them. I don't know if I will ever be safe from him until my parents are dead, but I know for one thing, this was just the beginning of the horrible things that have started into my young life. The beginning of my painful memories."

After Mike was finished, the table was silent. They had no idea their co-worker's life started out so bad. It was shocking. Just unbelievable. And this was just the start of the book. What else were they going to learn if they continued?

"This is… I can't even think of anything…" Ricky Plesuski stammered, "I had no idea he had such abusive parents."

"I don't think any of us did," Thaddues "Phlegm" Bile stated, "It's… it's so shocking…"

Before they could say anything else, the bell rang to alert the employee's that their lunch break was over. Deciding that they needed to keep going, Mike spoke up.

"After work, come to mine and Sulley's apartment. We'll continue from then."

Nodding with agreement, they went back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready folks, you're in for a wild ride! Beware of the warnings. They're there for a reason.
> 
> Thanks for reading and please comment!


	2. A New Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They continue to read Randall's journal. And as they do, they learn of the day Randall got adopted!

Chapter 2: A New Family

As the end of the work day came to a screeching halt, the bell signaling that they were all excused to clock out and head home, every member on the Floor F scaring floor, excluding Randall and Fungus, made their way over to Sulley and Mike's apartment. Sulley brought out snacks and drinks for the others to be courteous.

"I think we should all take turns reading the book, that way we all get a chance to read what Randall wrote." Charlie suggested.

"Good idea, Charlie." George smiled.

"In that case, I'll read." Celia replied, taking the book, turning to the next chapter. "Chapter 2: A New Family.

Sure this doesn't sound bad, but every time the story is told, I can't help but feel so embarrassed and guilty when they laugh. Now, once again, I cannot remember when this happened, or how it happened. Just stories of what my parents and their friend Samantha told me. It's been a few months since my biological parents had been sent off to jail and I had been placed into the orphanage. If you ever seen orphanages on TV or movies, then I'll tell you one thing, they got them down to a T. They're horrible. Orphanages suck. Big time.

And of course lucky little ole me, I was everyone's new favorite, to be picked on. I was the only reptilian child there. And it was the worst. Mostly two, Tommy and Johnny. Tommy was a yellow furred monster with two brown eyes and Johnny was a small blue monster with four legs, two arms, and seven eyes. They were both ten. Why were they picking on a defenseless two year old? Beats me. Normally I wasn't let out of the nursery, since what my biological parents did to me, but that didn't stop them from coming in and harassing me.

From what I can remember, from my buried memories, they kept flicking my snout for some unknown reason. It's not like I could remember. I burst into tears. From either what they were saying to me, or the physical pain that they were inflicting on me, probably both, but I don't remember why. It stopped shortly after when Samantha entered the room. Samantha, was a reptile like me and one of the caretakers of the orphanage. She was a snake like monster with pink scales, green tipped spikes on the top of her head, three pair of arms, and her eye color was purple.

"Tommy and Johnny! How dare you pick on a defenseless toddler! That is very rude and atrocious behavior! I expected better from you!" She scolded the two boys. "Now run along before you're late for school."

She picked me up and cradled me as they ran out.

"And I better not see you two picking on him again!" She shouted after them.

She shushed me gently to get me to stop crying and took me down to the kitchen. She rubbed my stomach gently to help settle me down, her second pair of arms fixing the bottle. Once the bottle was finished, she took me back upstairs to the nursery and sat in the rocking chair and started to feed me. Of course I didn't automatically take to the bottle due to what my biological parents did to me. And those of you wondering why I wasn't into solid foods at the time, I'll tell you.

The bleach my biological parents feed me at the time practically destroyed my stomach and shrunk it down to where I had to get stomach surgery multiple times and damaged my vocal chords to where I could only cry, squeal and laugh, but I couldn't talk. So any communication verbally was out of the question. So due to how my stomach and vocal chords was, and what my parents did to me when they even bother to feed me at all, I pushed the liquid away, not trusting it or even her for that matter. I was deeply undernourished, weighing at only at eight pounds when I should've been at 25.

"Come on Randy, this will help you become big and strong! This is good for you darling."

After several minutes of fighting, I finally relented and drank the milk. She smiled in triumphant and gently rocked me as I ate. As she was rocking me, she was telling me what she had planned for me for the day. Not that I really knew what was going on, but more alert on the potential dangers that lurked out for me.

"You have a very big day Randy. You have an interview today! A nice couple is coming by to adopt you, isn't that wonderful? They're friends of mine, and they're so excited to meet you!"

"Samantha!" A booming voice called, causing me to jump and start crying.

"Yes Mr. Domingo?"

"Will you hurry up with that reptile and look after the other children already?"

"I'll be on it as soon as I'm done feeding him sir!"

I can't remember what Mr. Domingo actually looks like. I remember that he had red skin, a scary, sinister like face, and a long thin like tail, and that he was a stout monster. He sometimes reminded me of the pictures featuring the devil and how he looked similar to him. Of course that could just been my imagination. He terrified me, then again, everyone did, even Samantha. She stroked my fronds to calm me down.

"It's okay Randy, he's all bark and no bite." She chuckled to me. "He just can't see how wonderful you are and can't appreciate you properly."

I yawned.

"Looks like it's time for your nap. I'll be back after you wake up."

She laid me down and covered me up, shutting the curtains and walked out as I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, the room was dark. I remember the nursery barely. It was just one large nursery with multiple cribs. The darkness and the creepiness of the shadows scared me, so I started bawling, like any normal toddler would do. Several minutes later Samantha came in and picked me up.

"Oh, there, there Randy, I got you. Shh, it's okay baby. Sammy's got you. Sammy's here." She cooed sweetly to me.

She felt the bottom of my diapers and nodded.

"Oh that's the problem, you just need a fresh nappy."

A nappy, I learned later in life, was British for diapers. I also learned when I was older that Samantha moved to Monstropolis from Great Britain years ago. After she changed me, she carried me down. I was the only baby in the house at the time, so I basically stuck to Samantha's side while she tended to the other children. Most of the infants had been adopted out shortly after I came. I noticed that most of the kids were gone, probably at this "school" the Samantha always told the older children to get to before they were late. She took me into the bathrooms with her and another child, who's name I can't remember, nor do I care, as she was teaching them how to be properly toilet trained. And me being at the so early stage that I was supposed to learn, got a first class ticket on how to learn. After Samantha finished with them and giving them a gold star on the training chart that was meant for all the other children that were also training.

A crash and a scream was heard and Samantha looked towards the door in panic. She sat me on the ground, instructing the other child to watch me for a moment and to not move from our spots as she went to deal with what caused the crash. And the short time that we were left alone, the other kid got the, oh so great of idea to try and teach ME how to use the toilet. As they sat me on top, they went over the rules on what I needed to do, even though I had no idea what they were talking about at the time. They told me that if I messed up then I was going to go in Pokey…Chokey, the closet with nails, whatever that was. I couldn't really see a closet with nails, since to me, closets were the safest place to be for me. It meant that I couldn't get hurt.

Before I had the chance to comprehend what happened next, I ended up falling in. I started screaming and crying. A few moments later I was pulled out, coughing and sputtering and dripping wet, Samantha holding me close. She looked at the other child and scolded them for doing such a dangerous thing to me and placed them in the time out corner. She grabbed a pink towel and dried me off, cooing softly to me to try and ease my panic stricken nerves.

"Poor Randy… did you fall into the potty? It's okay baby, I got you. You're safe now. After that, I wouldn't be surprised if you were afraid of water."

She was close. I'm actually afraid of drowning. A fear I developed when my biological parents tried to drown me multiple times. I still can't even go near water that is two inches deep. Once I was bathed, dried and dressed in a fresh diaper, she carried me back into the nursery and started to dress me.

I whined as she placed a white sailor's onesie on me and gently tied the blue ascot around my neck. I don't really care for clothes, except during the fall and winter to keep me warm. I tried getting away from her, but of course since I was a toddler at the time, there was nothing I could do to get away. She gently shushed me, in hopes of calming me down.

"Now, now, Randy. Calm down. It's okay. You want to make a good first impression don't you? Oh of course you do. I'm sure they're going to love you."

The moment I was fully dressed, she took me down to the interview room and sat me down into a highchair. I squirmed and tried to pull my away out of it, but of course I couldn't. I hated interviews, they never worked out. No one wanted to adopt a reptile. And I sure this couple would be the same. Samantha rubbed the back of my fronds, trying to settle me down. Since I couldn't, she placed a light green pacifier in my mouth. Now, I was at the age that I was too old for pacifiers, of course, since I was so late in my development schedule, my body didn't seem to care and I accepted it, immediately sucking on it.

A short while later, two female monsters came in. One had purple skin, two tentacle arms, four stubbed legs, a long thin body and large hazel eyes behind blue glasses. The other one was much taller, the purple one only coming to her waist. She had brown fur, lighter brown hair and blue eyes.

"Hello Emilia and Cheryal, I see you finally got me call."

"Is this him?" the purple one asked, coming up to me, a smile on her face.

"Just like I promised you Cheryal. This is Randall Boggs. He came in a few months ago after his parents were arrested. You will not believe the charges on them. I'm sad to say that he's so undernourished. I've tried my best to get him up to even half his standard weight, but my attempts are futile."

Cheryal, the purple one I assumed, grabbed a hold of my cheek.

"Oh you poor thing." She flashed a look that I didn't quite understand, at the brown furred monster. "Emilia, come on over and meet him. Isn't he just the precious child you ever seen?"

"He sure is." Emilia, the large monster replied, bending down low enough to look at me. "So what happened to his parents?"

As Samantha told the story of what my parents did to me, Cheryal glared at Emilia, for what I don't know and neither does Samantha, for them to learn how I had ended up there. Once the story was finished, Cheryal immediately and without hesitation spoke up.

"We'll take him."

Samantha grinned.

"Wonderful! I'll get the paperwork!"

I looked at them in surprise. They wanted to adopt me? Most reptilian monsters never got adopted but me? I was one of the lucky few! Samantha smiled and handed me over to Emilia, who smiled at me.

"You're going to love staying with us Randall. We're going to make sure that you're always loved and safe, no matter what."

Love and safe huh? With this new light, I was sure that what she said was true, but I soon learned that it was far from being true."

"I had no idea Randall was adopted." George replied.

"I don't think any of us knew. I don't think we even met his parents." Ricky stated.

"Maybe one day we will," Sulley suggested, but of course they all knew that Randall would die before he introduced his parents to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is more wholesome than children being adopted into happy and healthy homes. What else will the Floor F gang learn? 
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter and feel free to comment!


	3. First Day of School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Gang keeps reading, and they learn about Randall's first day of school!

Chapter 3: First Day of School

After Celia had finished the chapter, she held the book out for someone else to take it.

"Who wants to read the next chapter?" she asked.

George grabbed the book.

""I'll read," he replied, turning to the next chapter.

"Chapter 3: First day of School.

Everyone remembers their first day of school. A day filled with excitement and nervousness. A chance to meet new people and become friends, while also gaining skills that you will be applied in your daily life. They say education is the pathway to knowledge. Now I do agree with that statement. After all, my parents encouraged me to be as studious as possible. And I did.

As a toddler, my adoptive parents, Emilia and Cheryal, discovered that I was a child prodigy. I'm incredibly talented when it comes to anything science related and that even included inventing multiple items. So in my early years, between me getting used to my new family and my incredibly week immune system, they had found time to nourish and expand my talent. Well, when they weren't worrying that I was going to hurt myself in anyway. Something I learned with living with my parents is that they are very overprotective.

You may think that I'm over exaggerating. I'm not. Want an example? When I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to have any candles on any of my birthday cakes. Why? My parents were afraid I would burn myself. Yea. They were always watching over and fussing over me over every little thing. But I guess in a way, with them spending so much time with me, I had finally become comfortable with my parents after four years.

It was my first day of kindergarten and they were bursting with pride and excitement. They were finishing cleaning me up and preparing me for my first day of school. Cheryal had dressed me in a red and white sweater vest. She was fixing the black bow tie that was around my neck.

"Aren't you excited, Randy? You're first day of kindergarten!" Emilia told squealed. "Oh Cheryal, go grab the camera! We have to get a picture of this!"

Cheryal nodded and went to grab it. Emilia took over her place and started wiping my face with a washcloth. I looked up at them nervously. Truth was, I wasn't excited at all. I was terrified. My parents held me back a few months from school, mostly because of a small mishap with one of my uncles, and my weak immune system. Of course there was my social anxiety and fears that had carried over from what my biological parents did to me. No, I can't remember why I should be so fearful after all those years, but I was sure that it wasn't because of Emilia and Cheryal, they were so good to me. They had looked for ways to help, but no matter what they did, it didn't seem to be working. And now I was going to meet a lot of new kids and I was afraid on how they were going to treat me.

I also had developed this habit of playing with my fingers when I was nervous. My bottom hands were playing with my fingers, while my upper arms were clutching the stuffed teddy bear that Emilia and Cheryal gave me when they first brought me home. I hugged her tightly. Yes, like most little kids I had given a toy that cared so much about to give a gender and a name. I had named her Teddy. Not very original, but then again I was two at the time. I also had no friends at the time either, and so my loneliness, or maybe it was normal for kids at that age to think their toys could talk, either way I could imagine it. It's crazy, I know. And being an only child, I had no siblings to socialize with. But the few times that I did, it was with my older cousins, and they thought I was freak! Why? Don't ask me, they never told me why.

Emilia, who I called Mama, straightened my Slimers' baseball cap. The cap was a gift from my Uncle Rhoul when I was three. My Uncle Rhoul was Cheryal's older brother. He looked like Cheryal, only he had yellow skin, brown eyes, didn't wear glasses and he wore a leather coat. He gave me the cap after I saw my first baseball game on TV and I had been a fan ever since.

"Randy, smile," Cheryal told me, after Emilia had taken Teddy out of my arms and straightening my hat.

Once the picture was taken, I turned my cap into its usual backward appearance. It was a normal style for me at the time. Emilia pulled a blue bookbag onto my thing shoulders.

"There we go! Oh I can't believe it. My baby is going to school!" She fanned herself with her hand as tears formed in her eyes. "Oh, I'm getting all emotional. I promised myself I wouldn't cry."

She bent down and kissed my cheek.

"You two have a good day." She waved to us as Cheryal took me over to the 1972 Blue Chevrolet.

Cheryal sat me in my car seat and buckled me in. Yes, I said car seat. I know, I'm at the age that I should be in a booster seat, but I'm not. I was very tiny for my age and very underweight. So no, weight wise, I wasn't ready to ride in a booster seat. After some time had passed as we made our way to the school, we finally pulled into the parking lot and parked. Cheryal unbuckled me and pulled me out. I clutched onto her, terrified of this new place. It was so big. She took me straight to my classroom, talking to me as we made our way over.

"Just you wait Randy, you'll be learning so many new things and making some new friends."

I was really hopeful. After all, maybe I can find someone who would finally play with me. As we arrived at one of the classrooms, I gulped as we stopped at the door. She pulled me in, much to my protest as I tried to stay out. I looked around in fear at all the kids that were my age or older. I moved myself to hide behind her. I was afraid that they would be like my older cousins. Cheryal stroked the back of my head, trying to calm me down.

"It's okay Randy. There's no reason to be scared."

I looked up at her. Of course there was a reason! I was leaving the safety of my parents. I didn't know these people. I didn't trust them. I shook my head and hugged her. I didn't want to leave her side. Her and Mama were the only ones that were nice to me. Most of these other kids were so big and here I was, only weighing at eighteen pounds. I was worried that everyone here was going to be like my biological parents.

A plump pink skinned monster with blonde hair, green eyes and four arms walked up to us. I squeaked in fear, my body causing me to blend, either out of my own will or because of it fluctuating on its own, I have no clue.

"Hello, I'm Mrs. Monroe, how can I help you?"

"Hello Mrs. Monroe. I'm Dr. Cheryal Boggs and this is my son, Randall."

"Hello Ran-" She stopped. "I.. I don't see him."

Cheryal looked down at me and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Randall has the ability to camouflage and has trouble controlling it." She bent down and rubbed my back. "Randy, remember your primary colors? Purple and blue. Can you become purple and blue again?"

After some breathing techniques, my scales materialized my natural colors. Cheryal hugged me and kissed my cheek.

"Good boy. You did so well." She turned her attention back to Mrs. Monroe. "He's a little timid. My partner and I adopted him several years ago. He came from a very abusive home."

"O-Oh… so he's not…"

"Legally on paper he is. Now there are a few things that you need to know about him. He's mute, so he can't really communicate. He has a very weak immune system. He also can't control his camouflaging, so you'll have to keep an eye on him. He doesn't do it on purpose, except when he's scared. He'll randomly change colors or turn completely invisible, like he just did now, so just remind him what is primary colors are and do some breathing techniques. He's also extremely bright. He's already doing second grad science equations."

"He's already at such a high level of learning at a young age?"

"Yes. It actually surprised us. When he was two he took apart our TV remote and put it back together."

"Really?"

Cheryal nodded.

"So don't be surprise if he already knows certain things."

"O-okay."

"He also has epilepsy. So don't flick the lights on or off repeatedly, don't spray so much air freshener, or put too much stress on him."

And yes, you read right. I have epilepsy. Epilepsy is a brain disorder. There are clumps of neurons in my brain that don't function properly. Neurons normally generate electrochemical impulses that act on other neurons, glands and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings and actions. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions and behaviors, or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. During a seizure the neurons flare up to 500 times a second, much faster than normal. In some people, it happens occasionally, for others, like me, it doesn't happen so often."

"Electro-whatcha call it?" Mike asked.

"Electrochemical impulses. It's like a messenger that sends messages to your brain." Needleman exclaimed.

"Oh. Sorry, please continue."

George went back to reading.

"I looked between them, still not comfortable that I was leaving Cheryal and Emilia's side. Cheryal bent down to my level once again and hugged me.

"Emilia will come and pick you up at noon. Be a good boy."

I nodded and kissed her cheek. She smiled and fixed my hat. As she stood up to walk out at the door, I looked around the room. Mrs. Monroe took a hold of my hand and led me over to one of the tables. She sat me in one of the chairs. I didn't look at the other kids, too scared.

"Class, I want you to meet Randall. He's our new student. I'm sure he would be happy to tell you all about himself, but unfortunately, Randall can't talk. So I want you all to be nice to him. Now, let's start with spelling. Today we're going to learn the alphabet. The alphabet will help you how to learn how to spell words and write."

The lesson was pretty mundane. Once she handed out our work booklets, I went straight to work. I pretty much knew everything that she was teaching, but I didn't bother to point it out. As she left us to practice I was already done. She looked over, helping the others when they needed it. By the time she got to me, she saw that my book was shut.

"Randall. You're book isn't open. Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, opening it and held it up for her to see my work. She looked at it in surprise.

"Oh my… I… children, continue on practicing the letter A. Randall come with me."

She took my hand and led me out of the classroom. I looked at her worriedly. Did I do something wrong? I did everything the book said to do. I even worked ahead and completed it. My lower hands once again started playing with my fingers. She sat me in one of the chairs outside the principle office.

"Randall, you stay right here."

I nodded, worried. She knocked on the door and went in, leaving me alone. I moved my legs back and forth, playing with my fingers nervously as I waited. What were they going to do to me? Where they going to punish me because I went ahead and finished the book? Soon I was practically hyperventilating. What they could do to me frightened me. I was shaking so badly, that I ended up having a seizure.

When I awoke, I was in a strange dimly lit room. I looked around in panic and burst into tears. I had no idea where I was or where anyone else was. I was terrified. Then another older woman came in. She had short black fur, brown eyes and painted red claws. She was wearing a pink scrub shirt. She smiled gently at me.

"There, there little one. It's okay. You're safe." She turned towards the door. "Mrs. Monroe, Mrs. Boggs, you can come in now, he's awake."

I looked towards the door to see Emilia and Mrs. Monroe. I lifted my arm towards Emilia and she came over and hugged me.

"Oh my poor baby. You're okay now, Mama's got you."

I clung onto her, burying my head in her fur. Tears falling down my cheeks. I was petrified. I didn't like this place. Emilia shushed me gently, rubbing my back.

"Mrs. Boggs, if you want you can take him home now."

She nodded and picked me, placing me on her hip like a toddler. I didn't care. I wrapped my arms around her neck, burying my head in her shoulder fur.

"That would be great. Thank you. Come on Randykins, let's get you home and get some food in your little tummy."

Randykins is one of the many nicknames that my parents had given me. And it is a long list. She wiped away my tears with her thumb as she buckled me into my car seat. She smiled sweetly at me and placed a kiss on my forehead. After handing me Teddy, she got into the drivers' side and drove off. I held Teddy close. I really needed the comfort at the moment. After such a stressful day, I needed it .

"So how was your first day of school?" Teddy asked me.

Like I said earlier, I can hear Teddy talk to me. I shrugged. Since I can't talk, I can only use body language. She nodded, understanding what I meant. She gave me a "don't-worry-about-it" smile. I hugged her and she hugged me back. Even though my first day of school was horrible, at least I had Teddy to make me feel better."

"Aw," Celia gushed. "He loves his Teddy bear. That's so cute."

"Hey, I thought I was cute!" Mike protested.

"Of course you are Googley-bear," Celia giggled. "You will always be cute to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah the first day of school. Some find it exciting, other's with dread. What else will they discover? 
> 
> Thanks for reading and please leave a comment! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!


	4. Meeting My Tormentors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang keeps reading. And they learn that Randall was a victim of being bullied.

Chapter 4: Meeting My Tormentors

After George had finished, Needleman grabbed the book.

"I got this one." He replied. "Chapter 4: Meeting my tormentors.

Another painful event in my life was the countless bullies that were in my life. A few weeks after starting kindergarten, Mrs. Monroe and the principle had suggested to my parents that I be bumped up to second grade, which they agreed to. So now, instead of being with kids that were my age, I was with kids that matched my level of education. While most of the kids in my class didn't understand why I was there, it didn't stop them from bullying me.

It was nothing too bad. Most of it was just name calling and jeers at my inability to controlling my blending techniques. While my camouflaging was a rare skill, most reptilians that had it already had some control over it at my age. As for me, I didn't. I was outside sitting next to tree. It was recess. All the other kids were playing on the playground equipment or playing a game of tag or hide and seek. I was sitting away from the action. I wasn't in the mood for their usual teasing. As I sat by my tree, I looked around at all the kids playing. Some girls were playing Double Dutch, several kids playing kickball, nothing I was interested in.

I lay down in the grass, staring at the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds. I couldn't really do anything athletic due to my health. So this was the best option for me. I would've preferred to spend my time inside, but I wasn't allowed to do that. I closed my eyes, enjoying the few times that I was allowed to play outside. Being a sickly kid, I wasn't allowed to be outside most of the time. So when I was allowed to, I didn't hesitate to have the sun baking on my scales.

While I was enjoying my time alone, it was suddenly interrupted when something heavy fell on top of me. I squeaked in surprise and pain. My eyes shot open to see a taller light brown furred monster with brown eyes.

"Watch where ya going shrimp!" He growled at me.

My fronds flattened and I stared up at him in fear. I nodded and started to crawl away, to avoid any trouble. Unfortunately he grabbed my tail and pulled me towards him. He grabbed my throat and lifted me off the ground.

"What's your name, shrimp?" he growled at me.

I couldn't answer him. My vocal chords were damaged so I couldn't tell him even if I wanted to. I squirmed and clawed at his hands to try and pry them off around my throat. Air. I needed air. I couldn't get out. I was too small. Too young. I couldn't fight him. I didn't even want to fight.

"Well?" He demanded.

Next to him was a yellow skinned monster, who was in similar built to Cheryal, but unlike her, he had four tentacles that were near his shoulders, brown eyes, no glasses and he had orange spikes on top of his head and down his shoulders. Next to the him was a small green monster with one purple eye, bat wings and he wore a blue baseball cap.

"Bruno!" A deep Male voice boomed.

Bruno instantly dropped me. I gasped for air and started coughing roughly. A large muscular green skinned monster with four arms, five yellow eyes, and a bushy mustache walked up to us.

"Get up reptile," he snarled at me.

I tried to stand up, but as I did my front left leg buckled underneath me and I tumbled to the ground once again. The adult monster grabbed me and stood me up.

"What is going here?" He demanded.

"That kid," Bruno started, pointing at me, "Tripped me and tried to get me to fight him!"

"Yea, fight him!" The green monster echoed.

"Shut up Rico," Bruno hissed at the green monster, who I assumed was Rico.

"It's true Mr. Slugworth. We were just standing here, minding our own business, when he started causing trouble." The yellow skinned monster answered, backing his friend up.

I shook my head, my eyes wide with horror. They were not blaming me for something I didn't even do! I didn't do anything! I was a little six year old kid! And they were… ten, maybe eleven if I had to guess.

"Like Skeeter said Mr. Slugworth, we were just minding our own business." Bruno stated.

I shook my head. He could not be buying this! How could he not see with all those eyes that they were bigger and older than me?

"Excuse me, is something wrong here, Mr. Slugworth?" Mrs. Monroe asked, walking up.

"Nothing wrong Mrs. Monroe, I'm handling the situation. I was about to send this reptile to the principal's office."

My fronds rose up in terror. The principal's office? But I didn't do anything wrong! Only kids who did bad things got sent there! And I didn't do anything bad!

"For doing what? He's only six." She looked at the older boys and frowned. "Don't tell me you're taking their side over what they said."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"What did they tell you?"

"The kid tried to get them to fight."

"He's six years old! You seriously expect a little six year old to go up to three larger and older boys and pick a fight with them? That's ludicrous! Where is your head? Think!"

I looked at Mr. Slugworth and he looked at me. My fronds flattened. My lower hands playing with my fingers. He spent a while studying me, making me a bit uncomfortable. After a while, he released me.

"You're right."

I let out a sigh of relief. He then grabbed the three boys.

"As for you three, we expect better from you. Let's just see what Principal Norton has to say about this."

Bruno, Skeeter and Rico glared at me.

"You'll pay for this runt. We're going to make your life a living nightmare." Bruno hissed at me.

I gulped in fear as Mr. Slugworth dragged them off. That was the day I had met the worst bullied I ever hand. I had come face to face with my tormentors."

Nick "Lankey" Schmidt, a tall red monster with a small triangular body with long skinny arms and legs, flinched.

"I never thought Randall was picked on as a kid."

"I don't think any of us did. Randall's early life was hell. Poor guy." Claws replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bullies suck. I'm sure we've all experienced them at one point. I know I have. But don't let them get you don't folks! We will rise and defeat them by not giving them the time of day! Stay strong! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and please comment! I love to hear your thoughts!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang learns how Randall met Fungus! And to their surprise, it was before the factory!

Chapter 5: Meeting Fungus

Charlie took the book from George, flipping to the fifth chapter.

"I'll read this time. Chapter 5: Meeting Fungus.

This memory is more of a bittersweet one than most. It was after school. My parents, who normally picked me up from school, couldn't make it. So I had to wait for my Uncle Rhoul to pick me up. I frowned worriedly when I didn't see him pull up. I looked between all the other kids and saw that they had all been picked up. I was alone. I frowned worriedly when I didn't see him. He should be here by now. Where was I? After a couple of minutes I sighed. He wasn't coming. I started walking home. I never walked home before, but I'm sure it wasn't too far away. It was always a couple of minutes' drive from my house. It should be the same if I walked there, I figured. After all I knew my address and phone number, how hard could it be to find my house?

As I started walking I ended up running into Bruno, Rico and Skeeter. I gulped in fear when I saw them. I whimpered in fear. Oh no. I couldn't fight them, and there was no adult to take care of them for me. I was in huge trouble.

"Well look what we have here boys." Bruno smirked. "If it isn't the baby."

"Don't you know it's dangers for babies to go walking in the city by themselves?" Skeeter jeered, poking me roughly."

I squeaked in pain as the force of the push sent me hitting the pavement. Tears started to cloud my vision.

"I think it's time that we put the baby down for a nap." Bruno replied, punching a fist into his palm.

My eyes widen. I instantly took off running, knowing their intentions were to beat me to a pulp. I slithered as fast as I could, trying to get away. Where I was going, I had no idea. I just wanted to go home. I did a zigzag patterned of climbing over, under and onto trash cans, fences and side of buildings to get away from them. Ever since I met them all they did was beat me up. I turned into an alley way. As I maneuvered myself onto one of the brick walls, Rico suddenly swooped out in front of me. I yelped in surprise, causing me to stumble and crash into several trash cans. He grabbed a hold of my tail. He tossed me onto the ground, slamming his foot on my back. I cried out in pain. Bruno cracked his knuckles, a mean smirk on his face.

"Time for baby's daily dose of butt whooping."

I gulped in fear. I tried to bet away, but Skeeter held me back, pinning all four my arms back.

"Don't worry runt, it won't much… it'll only hurt a lot!" he cackled.

I cried out in pain as they started to pummel me over and over again. Bruno grabbed a hold of my fronds, jerking my head back. He punched me in the jaw, gave me a black and and there was multiple bruises all over my body. I fell to my knees, then fully onto the ground, curling up into a defensive position, covering my head with my arms. As I waited for a final blow to knock me out, my beating was suddenly interrupted.

"Hey!"

We all looked up to see a small red monster with chicken legs, thick three eyed black glasses, and wearing a blue baseball cap. He was tossing a rock in his hand. He looked a little nervous, but I couldn't blame him. My three assaulters just laughed at him.

"Well if it isn't six-eyes! Whatcha doing Funk? You're not going to defend this wimp, are you?" Bruno chuckled.

"L-leave him alone!" This…Funk demanded.

Bruno, Rico and Skeeter continue to laugh. Then a rock suddenly hit the side of Bruno's head.

"Ow!"

"I-I'm not warning you a-again! I'll give you till th-the count of three o-or I'll start throwing!"

"Yea right!" Skeeter snorted.

"One!"

Bruno elbowed Skeeter and the two laughed.

"Two!"

"He couldn't hit the broadside of a barn."

"Three!"

He immediately started pelting them with rocks.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop it! Ow!" Bruno demanded.

"Not until you leave him alone!"

"O-ow! Fine! Y-you're just lucky that we're go- ow!"

"Beat it!"

The three took off running. I sighed in relief. The kid ran over to me and helped me up.

"A-Are you okay?"

I didn't get the chance to answer him, because the moment I stood up, I passed out. I don't know how long I was out. I woke up later to see I was in a strange room. I sat up, looking around in panic. I turned to see the kid was sitting next to me, a wet washcloth in his hand. He smiled at me.

"Oh good, you're awake! I know I should've taken you home but I didn't know where you lived, so I brought you to my house. I took care of most of your cutes. I hope you don't mind. I also brought you some lemonade. Do you like lemonade? Are you allergic to lemons, or can't have sugar? Because if that's the case, then I'm really sorry, I can take it back and get you something else."

He just kept rambling on and on. I never met someone who was always this chatty. It was giving me a headache. Normally when I woke up from a nap, my parents gave me twenty minutes of quiet time so that my brain could transition easier to being awake, this kid wasn't doing that and just jumped in to talking away. I placed my hands over his mouth to quiet him. When I was sure he wasn't going to ramble on again, I removed my hands. I was practically shaking from the confusion.

I can't believe this. My parents told me to never to anywhere with a stranger and here I was with his strange kid and he took me to his house! How would I know if he was dangerous I hugged myself in worry. My parents were going to be so upset. He pat my head.

"I'm sorry. I tend to ramble a bit."

I just sat there. I didn't know this kid, yet he was playing nursemaid with me. He fluffed the pillow behind me and lay me down.

"Do you know your phone number? Your parents must be really worried about you."

I slowly nodded my head. He smiled.

"Great! Oh uh, my name is Jeffery Fungus Oz! But everyone calls me Fungus. What's your name?"

I looked at him worriedly. I never spoke before. I don't think I could. And most people didn't know sign language. Maybe… maybe I could try.

"Are you mute? Because I'm really-"

"I-I-I'm…R-R-R-Ra-Ran-d-dy…" I replied my voice hoarse and weak. I had a pretty bad stuttering problem, probably from never speaking before.

My eyes widen in surprise. I could talk. I could talk! I didn't think I could even speak!

"I-I can t-t-talk…" I spoke again.

"Here drink this." He handed me the glass of lemonade. "It's nice to meet you Randy. Can you tell me your parents' phone number so I can call them?"

I nodded my head.

"376-824-9978."

He wrote my parents' number on a piece of paper.

"You stay here and rest while I contact your parents."

I sighed as I curled up. My entire body ached. A thought instantly came to my mind.

"W-wait a m-minute! Wh-wh-what about y-your p-parents!?" I squeaked, not yet used to hearing or even using my voice.

He gave me a gentle smile and shook his head.

"Of course not! My parents won't mind at all. They're at work."

"Y-y-you're here b-b-b-b-by y-yours-self!?"

Being as young as I was, my parents never let me stay home alone, especially after my Uncle Rhou had been watching these cop shows. He would sit me on the couch next to him to watch. And the stuff they did on there had given me nightmares.

"I've been able to stay home myself since the beginning of the school year. But I'm not really alone. My older sister and brothers are here with me sometimes. You'll understand when you're older Ran."

My fronds rose at the shortened version of my name. Only Uncle Rhoul had called me Ran.

"I'll be back in a minute." He told me and left.

I sighed as I curled underneath his blanket. I reached up to remove my hate when I stoped. My hat wasn't there. My hate was gone! I sat up, feeling the top of my head. Where could it be? Where it be!? I never take off my hat! Well… except for when I'm sleeping and when I made to take a bath. I started rampaging through his things. I didn't mean to, but if I didn't find my hat, my Uncle was going to kill me!

"M-My hat… wh-wh-where's my hat?" I muttered to myself, checking underneath his bed.

I heard footsteps and turned to see Fungus walking back in. I ran over to him.

"Wh-Where's my hat?" I asked, maybe with a little more force than I meant.

"Y-Your hat?" he stammered.

"Y-Yes!" My h-h-hat! Where i-i-is i-it?"

He gave me a gentle smile and pulled my hat out from behind him and sat it on my head.

"I was washing it while you were resting. I-it got dirty from Bruno and his friends picking on you. I thought I would be nice and wash it for you. I-I didn't think you'd get upset over it being gone. I'm sorry if I worried you like that."

I looked at his room that I had torn apart. My fronds flattened in shame underneath my hat.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry th-that I d-des-destroyed y-y-y-your ro-room. I-I'll help cl-cle-clean it u-u-up."

His eyes widen at the mess I made. He looked at me but my head lowered in shame.

"I-I-I'm r-really s-s-sorry…."

He sighed.

"It's alright. Let's just clean this up. I'll tell you were everything used to be."

After cleaning up his room, he led me towards his living room and onto the couch.

"You can wait here. Your parents should be here any moment. You should rest."

I nodded in agreement, laying down. I sighed as I curled up.

"I can't believe those guys! Beating up a little kid like you! What is wrong with them? Don't they know how wrong it is to beat up a four year old like you?"

I instantly sat up.

"I-I-I'm not f-f-four! I-I'm six!"

His eyes widen.

"I'm so sorry! You're just so tiny, I-I just thought…I'm so sorry!"

I was about to continue, when a knock on the door interrupted us. Fungus went over and opened it.

"H-Hello?"

"Yes, we're Randall's parents. You said our son was here. Is he okay?"

"Oh yes, he's right in here. Please come in."

Once I saw my parents I ran over to them. Cheryal picked me and held me close. I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. They started kissing me. Emilia cupped my face.

"Oh baby look at you, you're hurt!" Emilia exclaimed, seeing the band-aids.

"What happened to you? Did you fall down? Did one of the teachers hurt you? Or did some big kids do that to you?"

"B-b-big kids." I told them.

They gasped in surprise.

"You talked!" Cheryal exclaimed. She held me closer. "Our baby can talk! Six years and he can finally speak!"

I gulped.

"Y-You're not a-a-angry at me…a-are y-you?"

They laughed at my question. It was the kind of laugh that was out of amusement when I said something funny. It still surprises me when they do that. Emilia kissed my forehead.

"No, no honeysuckle! Why would you think of a silly thing like that?"

Honeysuckle is one of the nicknames I have been given, but that was only Mama's. She called me Honeysuckle because, despite how bad it smells, it was her favorite flower, even though she can't really smell. And… I can't either for that matter. How sense of smell is messed up. So instead of hating flowers like daffodils, roses and other flowers like that, me and Mama enjoys them.

Before I could answer her, Cheryal interrupted me.

"Thank you young man, for watching over our son. We were so worried about him, when we arrived home and his Uncle didn't have him there. You're always welcome to our house if you want to come over."

"I would like that Mrs. Boggs." He waved at me. "See you later Randy!"

I waved good-bye to him as they carried me out.

"When we get home, I'm strangling your brother." Emilia told Cheryal.

"You and me both."

Emilia took me out of Cheryal's tentacles and placed me in my car-seat, strapping me in. She told me how proud she was that I finally made a friend. I tried to look past her. I… guess he was. I didn't really know what friends do for each other, and I never really interacted with people very well before so… maybe I did have one. As Emilia shut the car door, I looked to see Fungus waving at me. I waved back. Maybe I did have a friend. At last."

"So that's how Fungus and Randall met." Smitty replied.

"I always thought it was here on in the Scaring Factory." Lankey replied as he took the book.

Everyone nodded.

_I guess there's more to Randall than we thought._ Sulley thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see Randall and Fungus being the best of friends and having a younger/older brother dynamic. I think it's a cute little relationship that they have behind the scenes. You don't have to be blood to have a brother/sisterly bond. 
> 
> What else will they learn? 
> 
> Stay turned and please comment!


	6. A Night With Uncle Rhoul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang continues on. As they're reading, they learn about Randall's Uncle Rhoul. And he is not what they expect.

Chapter 6: A Night with Uncle Rhoul

The gang continued to work, randomly casting glances at Randall, who was too busy working then to notice their glances. They couldn't believe that he, the fearest monster in the factory… was once a little kid that used to be picked on all the time.

Randall leaned against the side of his desk and breathed heavily.

"Coffee," he demanded to his three eyed assistant who took off running.

Fungus came back with a cup of coffee and handed it to Randall. The lizard monster took a sip and his shoulders sagged, seeming more relaxed until… the bell rang for lunch.

As usual Randall and Fungus were nowhere in sight… which suit the others fine.

Lankey grabbed the book.

"I'll read for this chapter." He announced as everyone had sat down at the table.

"Chapter 6: A night with Uncle Rhoul.

My uncle Rhoul who is Cheryal's older brother was… well let's just say that he wasn't the best role model around. Uncle Rhoul was a con-artist. He looked exactly like Cheryal, except he was yellow, and didn't wear glasses, and he had brown eyes and he was a guy. But other than that you could tell they were family.

When I was seven he was left in charge of babysitting me, without anyone there, which made my parents even more worried. We were standing in the living room. Emilia and Cheryal were both dressed up for a romantic night out. They were giving Uncle Rhoul rules on how to take care of me.

"Now Randall is to be in bed at 9:30 and no later on Fridays and Saturdays. You need to make dinner and no junk food! Make sure he has a b-a-t-h…" Emilia replied.

"A bath?" Rhoul echoed.

"Don't say that word!" Cheryal hissed at him.

I started freaking out. I hated baths! It was like a miniature pond in your house waiting for you to be drowned in. Emilia picked me up and tried to calm me down.

"Randy honey it'll be okay. You're not getting a bath, no, no." she cooed.

I didn't listen. I too busy freaking out. Rhoul smirked and came up to me with a five dollar bill.

"Here kid, if you stop you'll get five dollars."

I stopped my tantrum to see the money in his tentacle. I took the money in my chubby fingers. I wasn't going to pass up a chance to get five bucks!

"Put me down!" I exclaimed.

They sat me down and I placed the five dollars in my piggy bank. Cheryal patted my head and fixed my hat.

"Well I think you should have everything under control. And you better listen to the rules Rhoul!" Emilia replied.

Uncle Rhoul nodded.

"No sweat. Me and Little Ran will have a great time, won't we kid?"

"Yea… sure…" I replied, a little busy with Teddy.

Emilia and Crystal kissed my cheeks and walked out the door. Uncle Rhoul shut it and turned around to smile at me.

"And we are on our own!" he cheered.

I didn't really care. I fixed my hat as Uncle Rhoul picked me up.

"Alright kid. Time for some Friday night fun!"

"Like a movie?" I asked.

Uncle Rhoul laughed and patted my head. I gave him a curious look.

"Kid you are correct! Tonight is horror movie night on channel 27, and we are going to have the best night ever!"

"But Mommy said…" I began. He cut me off. A wide grin on his face. Cheryal never liked that grin. I never knew why until now.

"Randall, forget what they said. This is a guys' night. And as your babysitter and your uncle I can say that we don't have to listen to the rules!"

"But aren't rules meant to be followed?"

"Heck no! Ran, rules are meant to be broken. That's why we have them." He told me as he sat me on the couch. "Your moms are the type of monsters who follow the rules, we the men of the house don't have to follow them."

"But Mommy Cheryal said…"

"Forget about what Cheryal and Emilia said." He wrapped a tentacle around me showing me a ten dollar bill, "If you don't repeat anything about tonight I'll give ya ten bucks."

I stared at the money.

"Mama Emilia said bribery is wrong… but you taught me never to let money go by." I answered taking the money.

Uncle Rhoul smiled.

"I'm proud of ya kid. Now what you like for dinner? Pizza? Ice Cream? You're choice."

I grinned. Normally I would never get to choice what was for dinner because Emilia and Cheryal made sure that I was getting all the nutrients I needed by having me eat plenty of vegetables which I still hate to this very day.

"Pizza!"

"Pizza it is kid. What do you want? Meat lovers? Pepperoni? Cheese? You name it, I'll order it."

"Pepperoni." I answered.

If you all must know… I am a carnivore. I need my meat. I don't have sharp teeth for chewing a salad. Uncle Rhoul ordered the pizza as I sat on the couch. I was playing with Teddy, casually looking at Uncle Rhoul who was pulling out the TV trays, which Emilia and Cheryal refuse to use. Emilia and Cheryal were the type of parents who valued family time, especially at Dinner.

"We aren't going to eat at the table?" I asked. I was so used to eating at the table… it was like I had entered into an unfamiliar area.

"We won't be able to watch the marathon if we're in the kitchen Randall. Trust your ole Uncle Rhoul."

I nodded then looked at Teddy. And she gave me a questionable, nudging look. I looked back at Uncle Rhoul and held Teddy up.

"Teddy wants to watch the movies and eat Pizza with us too." I told him.

"I guess she can kid."

I smiled as I sat Teddy next to me. I couldn't see over the TV tray and I pointed it out to Uncle Rhoul who had pulled out my booster seat and sat me in it. The movies had started playing. The first movie was one of the classics… The Blob.

I was shaking the whole time and I screamed every time the blob at someone. I was clutching Teddy. Uncle Rhoul was laughing.

"Kid calm down it's not real. It's just a movie." He told me as it ended. Then the door knocked and I let out a scream. "Ran that was just someone at the door."

He stood up and went over to the door. I was hiding behind a pillow that was on the couch. I let out a sigh of relief knowing it was only the pizza guy. Uncle Rhoul had come back to the couch and sat the pizza in front of me.

As I started eating Uncle Rhoul started to grin. He looked at me and I stared at him.

"Kid, let's go for a night out!"

I looked at the clock and pointed it at it.

"But bedtime-" I started.

"Bedtime on the weekends? Kid you need to get out more!" He stated, grabbing my arm and pulling me out the door.

Me and Teddy looked at each other as Uncle Rhoul sat me in the front seat.

"Uncle Rhoul!" I whined.

"Don't worry kid! This is guys' night! We are gonna to party!"

Party? All I wanted to do was go to bed. I looked out the window to see that we were at a night club. Uncle Rhoul pulled me out and walked in.

I stared wide eye as Uncle Rhoul sat me on a stool next to a counter. I've never been in a nightclub before, especially when it was close to bedtime. I had grabbed Uncle Rhoul's tentacle before he could go anywhere.

"Uncle Rhoul… why are we here?"

"To have the time of our lives kid!"

"Like bedtime?"

"No." He answered. "Not like bedtime, to have fun!"

I stared at him. My idea of fun was playing with my toys, not going to a club, whatever that was.

"But I just want to go to bed." I complained.

"No time to sleep kid! Let's get our party on!" He exclaimed. "Now let's get some girls attentions."

I looked at him in disgust. I was at that age where I thought girls were 'yucky' and had cooties. He took my hand and led me over to a group of beautiful women.

"Play along kid." He whispered to me.

I looked at him in confusion.

"Hello ladies." He smiled.

They greeted him also and looked down at me. I hid behind him. I hated having people staring at me.

"Who's this little guy?"

"This is my son Randall. I adopted him a few years ago."

I looked up at him. Son? He was going to have me to act like his son? If Emilia and Cheryal found out they would kill him. I just shrunk behind him. Did he have to do this? I don't normally like being the center of attention.

"Aw… poor thing…" one of the girls replied.

"He came from a broken home. But out of the goodness of my heart, I had decided to take the little tyke home and raise him as my own."

"Your wife must be surprised."

"I'm a single parent."

That did it. All the girls started swooning over my uncle and me. For the love of my parents… why did Uncle Rhoul have to do this? I saw a larger monster come up and growl at me. I shrank and clutched onto Rhoul for protection.

"Uncle Rhoul I want to go home." I whined to him, pulling on his arm.

He didn't hear me. No one heard me. I pouted. I looked around nervously and started pushing my way through the crowd. I tried my best not to look at the adults. I bumped into a green skinned woman. I looked at her.

"Aw… does a wittle someone need a bedtime story read to him?" She sneered, laughing her smoked breath into my face. I started coughing. I stepped back. Now I was terrified. I took off running and felt a hand grabbed me. I started crying.

"Randy sweetie… it's okay honey."

I looked up to see Cheryal. I ran up to her and hugged her. I was so terrified!

"Mommy!"

"Randall what are you doing here? And where is your uncle at?" She asked.

I looked up at her and wiped the tears out of my eyes and pointed to where I came from.

"H-h-he's talking t-t-to some girls…" I told her.

Her face curled into anger. She sat me down and took my hand in her tentacle. She started dragging me towards Uncle Rhoul.

"Rhoul Matthew Boggs!" She yelled. My fronds flattened against my head. I yawned. I was tired and I knew that Cheryal was going to yell at Uncle Rhoul. She had picked me up me and went over to him. He gave her a weak smile and took several steps back.

"Hey sis… What are you doing here?"

"I would be asking you the same. Now what are you doing here and why isn't Randall in bed?"

"Um… long story Sis?"

"Long story?"

She growled at him and grabbed him.

"We are heading home. Emilia! Emilia!"

Emilia came around and saw Rhoul and me.

"I knew it." She growled. "Rhoul Boggs… When we get home and Randall is put to bed, I'm killing you."

"Now Emilia…"

"Don't 'now Emilia' me! My son is supposed to be asleep! I swear when I get my hands on you…"

"Let's save that for after our little Ray-Ray is in his bed." Cheryal replied.

I had my head resting on her shoulder. I was already more than half-way asleep. We started walking out. Cheryal put me in the car and buckled me in. I probably slept for a good while when I heard the car door open. I opened my eyes to see that we were home. Emilia picked me up and took me inside and upstairs to my room. I was glad that I didn't have to take bath. (Cue shudder) Emilia laid me in my bed and pulled the covers over me.

"Sleep tight Randall."

"Mama… What's gonna happen to Uncle Rhoul?" I asked sleepily, yawning.

"He's going to be in big trouble."

I curled closer to my pillow.

"Like a beating?" I asked.

"I don't… I think we'll talk about that when you're older. Okay?"

I nodded and pulled Teddy closer to me.

"Don't hurt him too much Mama… " I told her.

"I won't." she promised, kissing my forehead. "I'll just hurt him till he learned his lesson.""

"His Uncle took him to a club? What is wrong with him?" Celia asked.

"Well one thing for sure, Randall wasn't kidding about his parents being overprotective." Ricky replied.

"I can see how that would be traumatizing, watching a horror movie, then going to a club with unknown monsters and being scared to death. Randall sure went through a lot." Sulley replied.

The bell rang and everyone stood up and went back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea, every family has that one family member that is a horrible influence or very irresponsible. For Randall's family, that's his Uncle Rhoul. At least his parents are actual responsible adults! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and feedback is always appreciated!


	7. Meeting Cheyenne Wags

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As they're reading, they learn that Randall and Fungus went on a camping trip! And in the process they made a new friend!

Chapter 7: Meeting Cheyenne Wags

After work everyone had again met at Sulley's and Mike's apartment. They were almost caught by Randall at some point during work. They were glad that Fungus had come in when he did, and guided the lizard monster somewhere else. Bud 'Lucky' had taken the book.

"After a month of Uncle Rhoul's babysitting disaster, the school went on a camping field trip. Oh what fun? Of course it took Emilia and Cheryal a long time to be persuaded by Fungus to let me go and that we would be watching me the whole time. Reluctantly they agreed, before going over rules and other things and that I wasn't allowed to go anywhere without Fungus or a teacher.

Me and Fungus was sitting together on the bus. He was talking about something, but I was focusing on something to not hear him.

"Uh Randall? Hello? Randall?" He asked, knocking on my head.

"Ah!" I exclaimed in surprise, putting my top hands over my head. "Fungus? What is it?"

"You weren't even listening!" He scowled at me.

"Sorry… I was too busy thinking…" I trailed off.

"Don't sweat it. Now why don't you tell your best buddy, what's on your mind?"

He put an arm around me. I know he was trying to comfort me, and get my mind off what I was thinking about. He was like a big brother to me. A geeky older brother, but a brother nonetheless.

"It's…. It's that… it's my first time staying a whole a weekend away from Mommy Cheryal and Mama Emilia…"

"And you're scared?"

I looked at him and nodded. He could always read my mind… it was freaky. He smiled gently at me and pulled me closer.

"Don't worry. I'll be with you the whole step of the way. If Bruno, Skeeter and Rico try anything I'll give them a good licking."

I smirked. Oh Fungus. He tries so hard to prove that he's tougher than he looks. I couldn't help lean against him.

"I know Funk. But you and I both know that without each other they'll clobber us. Me especially."

"I don't see why you don't tell your parents…"

"I can handle this!" I paused. "I'm sure that it's because they come from a bad home… I did too when I was really, really little…"

"Now Ran, you can't expect…"

"But it's logical Fungus! Just look at the facts!" I told him.

"Okay, okay, no reason to be so huffy." He laughed. "You just worried about not getting beat up this weekend."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? What if…"

"Don't worry your little capped head. I'm the oldest and I promised Emilia and Cheryal that I would look after you. You know we'll be sharing a tent together."

"Okay, I won't worry about it anymore."

The bus came to a stop and I looked out to see that were at a camp site. I looked at it in wonder. I had never been to a camp site let alone been outside Monstropolis before. It was so… unique. The trees, the dirt… Okay I've dirt before, but it was only visible in Emilia's garden. The flowers were different too. I've seen many flowers, but the ones there were different.

"Okay everyone, off the bus!" One of the teachers replied.

I looked up in surprise and watched everyone got off the bus. Me and Fungus were the last ones off. When I got off I had accidentally bumped into a skinny brown furred female monster. She had beautiful brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a T-shirt and jeans and sneakers.

"S-s-sorry…" I stammered.

She looked at me kindly and gave me a gentle smile. She walked off without another word. I took a hold of Fungus's arm and jerked on it.

"Fungus… who was that girl?"

"Her? That's Cheyenne Wags, she's a sixth grader. Not very popular, but she's very defiant."

"Wow…"

After everyone had their tents sit up all the other kids had went off and played. I was sitting with Fungus under a tree, attending to Teddy.

"Fungus… about that girl… how come we've never seen her before?"

"She just moved from Screamattle. She's an only child. I don't know much about other than that."

"An only child…" I echoed.

He nodded. I started shivering. He helped me up.

"Come on. Let's get you inside before you get sick." He told me, guiding me into one of the tents.

I followed him without protest. I don't know why I was so transfixed on her. Was it because she was new? Or was it because that I felt some connection between her and me? I didn't have an idea. Fungus had pulled a blanket over me. I had wrapped another blanket around Teddy.

"Thank you," she smiled at me.

"You're welcome Teddy."

"You and that Teddy bear." Fungus chuckled.

I took my pillow and threw it at him. It hit him in the head, causing his glasses to turn sideway.

"Nice hit." He grumbled at me.

"Don't make fun of Teddy." I stated to him.

"Okay lesson learned. Don't come between you and your Teddy bear. Noted. Ow… you got a good arm, you know that right?"

I smirked at him. Without warning a pillow smacked me upside the head. I fell over. I looked up to see Fungus grinning at me with a pillow in his hands. I glared at him.

"So that's how you want to play it, huh? Well game on!" I smiled, taking my own pillow and whacking him with it.

Our pillow fight probably lasted a good hour before we had landed on the ground panting.

"Draw?" He asked.

"Draw." I agreed.

I stood up, fixing my sleeping bag and my pillow. I'm a perfectionist, okay? If it's not neat and clean, I get a little upset. I sat teddy on the pillow, adjusting her a bit.

"You're a perfectionist, aren't you?"

"What's that?"

"A perfectionist is someone who has to make sure everything is in order, neat and clean and that everything has to done a certain way, right?"

"Yes… but I don't see…"

"What's your room like?" He asked.

"Uh… neat and clean, everything where it's supposed to be."

"You're a perfectionist."

"Okay… I don't see why you have to tell me that…"

"Sorry, I just sorta had assumed."

"Okay, can we go out looking at the scenery? I've never been in the woods before."

"Hmm… I don't know…" Fungus staled, a smirk on his face.

"Please?" I begged, batting my eyes innocently, "I really want to see it."

"Okay. There's a creek not far from here, we can go there and come back."

"Yes!" I exclaimed, running out.

He laughed as he followed me. He's always seems to know just what do, when I don't. I was looking at all the plants, taking mental notes as I studied the plants. I have a photographic memory. I saw on particular flower that caught my attention. It was a bright blue, with red stripes. I was thinking about picking it when Fungus was yelling at me.

"Randall, look out!"

Before I could turn, I felt two hands push me. I turned my head to look at the perpetrator, only to have my head shoved into the mud.

"Well, I didn't think Randy boy liked flowers, but guess I was wrong," A voice sneered.

I gulped. I felt someone peel my hat off and grabbed my fronds and jerked my head up.

"Ah…" I whimpered.

"Let him go!" Fungus growled.

"Back off six eyes! He is mine." Bruno growled.

I heard a thud.

"Ow! Who threw that rock at me?" Bruno demanded, letting me go.

I scurried over to Fungus, hiding behind him. I looked to see it was the girl that I bumped into. I blushed. She had another rock in her paw, tossing it in the air and catching it.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size Bat breath?"

"Why don't you make me Fuzz rug?"

"I don't make monkeys I train them."

I giggled. Bruno glared at me, causing me to cower. The girl smiled and turned back to him. She threw the rock at him again, hitting him square in the forehead. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. I looked at Fungus to see that he was smirking, shaking, but smirking nonetheless. I was clinging onto Fungus's arm, admiring her. She was so pretty. Her sweet brown eyes, the flowing motion of her fur as it moved…

Was I in love? I didn't know. Possibly a crush? I didn't know that either. I never felt this way before. Fungus cast a glance at me and gave me a knowing smile.

"Yea well you… you… you're an ugly girl!"

"And you're a pea-brain who has to ride the short bus!"

"Yea? Well… well… you're stupid!"

"Look who's talking pig!"

"Scape eater!"

"Human pet!"

"Tomboy!

"You make your weenie with yo mama's toe jam!"

"And you bob apples in the toilet and you like it!"

"At least I don't smell like a human!"

Bruno and his gang gasped.

"What did you just call me?" He growled.

"Ya heard me Skunkzilla. You're a human pet, and if I catch ya being mean to the kid again and I'll skin ya. Now get out of my sight." She growled.

"Fine, but I'll be back Warthog face."

"Count on it pee drinking crab-face." She shot.

Bruno and his gang took off. The girl smirked as she watched them leave. She turned to me and Fungus and bend down to where she at my level, just like how my parents would do when they needed to talk to me. I blushed deeper, trying to blend so she didn't have to see me.

"Whoa there kid," She replied, grabbing my arm before I fully turned invisible. "Don't disappear on me yet. I ain't gonna hurt ya. Watch ya name kid?"

"R-R-Randall…" I replied shyly.

"Nice ta meet ya Randall. I'm Cheyenne." She told me.

I looked at her and she looked at me, like she was staring at me. I felt a little cautious and shrunk.

"Fascinating…" she muttered, pulling me close, "I'm actually meeting a reptile for the first time! This is so awesome! I've always wanted to meet a reptile! You guys are so fascinating! The way you can blend or climb walls… Your awesome scales… oh what it's like?"

I just looked at Fungus who shrugged at me.

"I-I…" I stammered.

She batted her eyes at me and I think I fainted. I don't remember because I woke up in my tent. I sat up to see Fungus reading a book.

"Oh Fungus… what happened?"

"You fainted."

"What? I Randall Jonathon Boggs does not faint!" I snapped at him.

"Well you did." Fungus told me.

I sighed. Great my first camping tripped caused me to meet a girl and blow it and get beat up at the same time. You'd think nothing could've gotten worst after that, but you were wrong."

"Aw… his very first crush! How adorable!" Celia exclaimed.

"Ha! Dude got his butt saved by a girl!" Mike laughed.

"Now Mike, Randall was seven when this happened, I'm sure he didn't about the girl/boy thing." Sulley told him.

"Whatever Sul, but this gold." Mike grinned looking at the book.

The blue furred Scarer sighed. This did make him wonder. Did his friends help him cope with life struggles? Or was the age gap to much? They'll find out soon enough. And it was unsure if that was a good or a bad thing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always stand up against someone harassing another person folks. Whether it be young or old. You never know what might happen. You might even make a new friend in the process! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and feel free to comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	8. The Assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! WARNING! THIS CHAPTER INVOLVES KIDNAPPING OF CHILDREN AND MENTIONS SEXUAL ASSUALT OF A CHILD!! READ AT OWN RISK!! 
> 
> The gang learns about a horrible event in Randall's and Fungus' childhood. They aren't sure how to process it...

Chapter 8: The Assault

Ranft had taken the book, turning to the next chapter.

"I got this one, Chapter 8, the Assault.

When I was nine, Fungus had promised me a day out for some video games. Now normally on my summer vacations I would be in my room working on some mechanical projects. It was the last day of school and just as the bell rang everyone ran out.

"All right!" Cheyenne cheered. "No more Homework, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks!"

She had picked me up and placed me on her shoulders. I couldn't help but laugh as she marched around. She was singing a song that she had come up for us. Since we've met, she had chosen to hang out with us, us! Of all the monsters in the world! I rested my head on hers, listening to her sing. It was so beautiful. So passionate. I couldn't sing a note and listening to her sing always broke my heart.

"Don't fall asleep yet Ran! We still have a lot of fun to do!" She laughed.

She sat me down and took my hand into her paw. Fungus winked at me and I flattened my fronds in embarrassment. She dragged us to the Arcade. I've never been to it, but from what Fungus told me, it was lots of fun. She stopped us as we were half way there.

"Excuse me boys, but I gotta go to the girls room." She told us.

I was balancing myself on the curb. I noticed something in a store window and ran over to it. My jaw dropped.

"Oh my god! They have it!" I exclaimed, excitedly.

"Have what?" Fungus asked as he walked up next to me.

"What do you think? The scream-maker 3000! Oh what I would to take that baby apart and put it back together!" I replied.

The Scream-Maker 3000 was a shaped like a coffee-maker, but made like a mini scream when you scare a toy human in it and it records how good your scares were. I've been collecting money from my birthdays, holidays and whatever I could in the furniture to save up for it.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked him.

"You my friend, are a Grade-A geek, you know that right."

"I don't care! Fungus you don't know how long I've hidden what my true career choice was! I want to be a scarer! I don't want to be anything else!" I told him, staring at the toy. "This could change my life…"

"Randall, you're a reptile. The odds are a million to one for you to get a job at a scare factory. You know that. How many times have you calculated that problem in your head?"

"4 million, 5 hundred 67, and 9 times." I replied casually.

"Gees! How do you know all that?" he asked.

"I'm supposed to be a prodigy, remember?"

"Right." He muttered.

Sudden I heard a sound that was all too familiar. The ice cream truck melody. My fronds raised and I turned my head. I tucked on Fungus's arm.

"Fungus… ya hear that?"

"How could I not? It's the ice cream truck! Randall, it's time for me to get you that ice cream cone I promised you!" He told me taking my hand and pulling me over to the truck.

My eyes widen in excitement. I never had a chance to eat ice cream. Emilia and Cheryal never let me had any because I was too sickly and it could worsen my immune system. And yes ya heard me right. See I'm a sickly kid with a lot of health issues. Pneumonia was the worst that I gotten, almost killed me.

"You ready Ran?"

I nodded, to excited to speak. The ice cream monster opened his window and smiled down at us. He was a tall monster, almost as tall as Emilia, with mean looking brown eyes and dark brown furn. He smiled down at us.

"What can I do for you kids today?" He asked.

"Two drumsticks please." Fungus requested.

The monster handed us the ice cream. At the time I felt someone watching me and I looked up to see the monster looking at me, like he was admiring me. I felt a little creeped out and hide behind Fungus. He was just watching me and I felt worried. Something in my gut told me not to trust him.

"Fungus…" I whimpered.

"How would you kids like a tour of my ice cream truck?" he asked.

"Fungus I don't want too…" I whimpered.

"Are you crazy Ran? Haven't you ever wanted to see inside and ice cream truck?"

I shook my head. I had a really bad feeling and I didn't trust this guy. I knew what was out in the world. The dangers, the wrong doings, and I knew this was going to be one of them. Fungus had pulled me into the truck, I tried to pull away, but Fungus was too strong. I hate being too weak not fight back. He pulled me in and started looking around.

"Fungus…" I whimpered.

"Um… where's all ice cream at?" He asked the monster.

When he turned around the monster was shutting the door. I ran over and banged on the door.

"Let us out! Let us out! Let us out!" I demanded, banging on the door.

Fungus was doing the same. I knew it! I knew we shouldn't have done this! I heard the motor start and I sunk to the ground, crying. It was too late. Fungus was sitting next to me.

"This is all your fault!" I yelled at him. "You had to go in and drag me with you and now we're stuck in here! It's all your fault! I told you we shouldn't do it and you didn't listen! You're supposed to be the oldest! The responsible one and you failed! I hate you!"

I went over to the farthest side of the van and hugged my body. It was getting cold. I sneezed. Stupid Fungus. Getting us kidnapped. I wasn't happy with him. I sneezed again. Great I was getting sick again and it was all his fault. I reached to fix my hat and I didn't feel it. I started freaking out and searched around for it. It was gone! I tackled him.

"You made me lose my hat!" I snarled.

"I-I-I-I…." he stuttered.

I slammed him against the wall. I wasn't happy with him. I lost my hat, I wasn't going to see my parents or Teddy and I may never get home again. I growled and let him go. I didn't have the strength to beat him up, let along stand. I fell over and curled into a ball to warm up. I sneezed.

"I-I-I'm sorry Randall. Y-y-you're right… a-and now thank t-to me… you're get s-sick. I'm sorry." He apologized.

He pulled me close and tried to warm me up. I sneezed again. I ended up falling asleep. I remember waking up with Fungus carrying me in to whatever we were heading. I whimpered as I held onto him, too sick to make a comment. The monster had dragged us into a warehouse I later learned. He had thrown us in the basement and stood in front of the door, blocking our way out.

"Wh-wh-what do y-you want w-with us?" Fungus asked.

"I have my reasons, but it's your little friend I want."

"R-R-Randall? H-h-he's only a little kid!" Fungus exclaimed, pulling me tighter, trying to protect me from whatever the monster had in mind.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt him. As long as you do as I say and when I say it. Got it?" the monster growled.

Fungus nodded.

"S-s-sir? R-R-Randall's a-a-a very s-s-sickly child…"

As if on cue I started coughing roughly, my body shaking and heaving with each cough. Fungus had pulled me close, rubbing my back to comfort me.

"Great, this will be perfect." He replied walking over to us. He gently took my back frond, stroking it. I whimpered and pushed myself closer to Fungus. I felt so cold. He gently grabbed my face, having me look up at him. "I'll see you tonight beautiful."

The night was torture to me. He had me sitting in his bed. I was frightened, shaking and extremely sick. He went over to me and started massaging my shoulders. I whimpered and shuddered at his touch. He lowered his paws down to my incredibly thin waist. I tried to pull away but he held me close, kissing down my neck… what happened next is too horrible to describe but I'll cut to the chase. He sexually assaulted me. I felt broken, ashamed and filthy.

It was the worst thing anyone should go through. I would've never wished this on anyone, even my own worst enemies. I was taken back to the basement with Fungus. The moment he dropped me, I ran straight to Fungus and clinged onto him for dear life. I sat there crying. Fungus hugged me and rocked me. There was no way I was going to sleep, not without Teddy, I couldn't.

"It's going to be okay Randall, I promise," He told me.

I knew it wasn't going to be true. It wasn't going to be okay, and we were stuck until we could find a way out…"

Everyone looked pale and horrible. They couldn't believe that Randall went through that, no wonder he didn't like people or being touched or touched anyone. It was sickening on how someone could do that to a child.

"I feel horrible now…" Claws answered. "All those jokes and comments we've done behind his back…"

"We shouldn't be worth to stand next to him," Bile agreed.

Mike didn't know what to say. He felt his stomach curl as he looked at the book. He thought he was just a jerk and now… he couldn't look at Randall the same anymore. Mike realized that they were going to have to see him tomorrow and it was going to be hard not to look at him any differently. It was going to be hard for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Randall. This is part of my headcanon. 
> 
> No, I do not condone sexual acts on a child. This is to give Randall some past trauma and help build who he (to me) is today. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and please comment! I'd love to read your thoughts!


	9. The Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As they read, they learn how Randall and Fungus escaped.

Chapter 9: The Escape

At work, everyone had been looking at Randall during some point of the day. They couldn't believe what happened to him as a kid, but it all made since. He wouldn't let anyone touch him, and the way he shuddered when someone reached out to touch him. They did recall when Randall had reacted to a news story that was going around about a girl being raped and Randall newly broke down. They didn't know why until now.

Fungus was telling him something, unable for them to catch it. Randall had nodded in agreement, looking a bit happy. But you can see how the sadness in his eyes. Fungus had pulled Randall out of the building. The bell had ranged for lunch and everyone sat down for the next chapter.

Waxford had taken the book and opened it.

"Chapter 9: The Escape.

It had been three months since me and Fungus was kidnapped. I had taken a liking to sitting in a corner far from the door as possible. I didn't want to be near it, knowing what will happen if I do. Me and Fungus has somehow develop a routine there. Wake up, have breakfast, clean the house, lunch, thrown into the basement until dinner, dinner and then I'm dragged off for my nightly nightmare. Fungus was looking at the boxes in the other of the corner.

I was twirling around my tail around my fingers, interested in my own imagination. Fungus had gently tugged on my fronds.

"Randall, come here."

I turned to look at him. I haven't slept in three months; I was tired, exhausted, and unsure if I had any strength left. I stood up and followed him.

"Randall you see these boxes?"

"Let me guess, take the boxes, pile them up and escape, right?" I asked.

He nodded. I sighed and slumped against the wall.

"What's the point? We're stuck here and we're never going to get out." I replied.

Fungus put a hand on my shoulder. I sighed and stared at the ground.

"I have a plan, but I'm going to need your help, okay?" He told me.

I nodded. The door opened and we turned to see Rico, which was the monsters name we later learned, come in. I stood up and hid behind Fungus, shaking. He grinned at us as I cowered behind him.

"I was just checking on you boys, see you later," He told us. He shut the door, leaving us alone.

I went over to the door and leaned my earhole against the door, listening to know what he was doing. I heard the door shut and lock. So I looked at Fungus.

"He's gone. Should this be our time to do it?" I asked.

"Yes! Let's go!" He told me, positioning boxes.

I ran towards him and started to help him. I couldn't lift the heavier boxes, but when I did, Fungus was helping. We manage to get the boxes stacked but wasn't high enough for us to climb out. Fungus helped me up. Fungus climbed up next to me. He stretched to himself as far as he could to reach the window but was off by an inch. He jumped up but missed it.

"Randall, can you help me out? Then I'll pull you out."

I started to lift him up, staggering. He grabbed the window, climbing out. He stuck his hand back in and grabbed mine, helping me out. I heard the door open as my tail got out.

"Run!" He told me.

We took off running for our lives. Fungus had grabbed a hold of my hand, making sure he wasn't going to lose me. He had pulled me into the streets, dodging other monsters. We could hear Rico yelling at us. Fungus had pulled me into a salon. We peeked out to see Rico running pass us. We let out a sigh and slumped to the ground. Fungus looked up, gasped and covered my eyes.

"Ah! Fungus!"

"You don't need to see what's in here Ran, you're too young."

I pouted. I hated it when someone told me I was too young to see or do anything.

"S-s-sorry to d-d-disturb you l-ladies…"

"Why are you children in here?" A woman demanded.

"We were kidnapped! A-a-a-and we just e-e-escaped! By f-f-friend was sexually a-assaulted!" Fungus told them. "P-p-p-please! C-c-call the police!"

I couldn't hear much after that point, except for a beeping of a phone being dialed. I heard the woman talking to the police, but was unable to see what was in the room. But I could smell hairspray, shampoo, conditioner and hair dye.

Fungus had pulled me close, telling me comforting words. He had taken his hat and put it over my head, covering my eyes. The door burst open.

"Oh god!" Fungus exclaimed.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You don't want to know!" he told me.

Fungus had dragged us into the closet and grabbed hold of the door knob, preventing him to get to us. The door jerked several times but stopped. I looked from behind Fungus.

"It's okay boys, you can come out now," a female voice told us.

Fungus cautiously opened the door. The woman's pink tentacle reached out for us and pulled us out. She wrapped her tentacles around us, almost like she was trying to protect us. Rico was tied up and the cops were arriving. I was clinging onto Fungus, shaking.

"I-i-is it over?" I asked.

Fungus nodded as the police too Rico away.

"Yea kid, it's over." He told me.

I broke down and started crying, clinging onto him. He wrapped his arms around me, patting my back and giving me comforting words. I wanted to go home. I didn't know where I was at, why he took us, and had destroyed my childhood. I whimpered as Fungus picked me up.

"It's going to be okay Randall; it's going to be okay,"

I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but knew it wasn't going to be okay, it was too late for me, and my life had had officially turned into a living nightmare."

"How horrible," Celia replied.

Waxford shut the book, unable to look at it, how were they going to get through this when it gets worst and worst as it continues? He didn't know. He looked at the title of the book. Randall picked a perfect name for this book. For it was truly filled with Randall's most painful memories and they had barely scratched the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Randall and Fungus has managed to escaped from their abductor! But what else will the others discover?


	10. The Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang has gotten to where Randall and Fungus are free from their capturer's clutches! But now they have the aftermath to get through.

Chapter 10: The Trial

Mike was standing at his station, casting glances at him, like everyone else was. He didn't know if he should apologize for what they did to him, or carry on like normal. He placed the new canister in and activated the new door, for Sulley. Everyone was having a rough day from reading the book. Randall and Fungus seemed to notice but didn't bother asking what was throwing them off.

Randall had gotten a cup of coffee, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He looked up to see Mike looking at him, but he looked back on his clipboard. Randall looked at him suspiciously. Why was Wazowski staring at him? He had a quick flashback and shuddered. No. He couldn't think about that. It was too terrible. He stared at his coffee, begging to the clock silently to hurry up. He had a very important appointment to get too and he didn't want to be late. As the bell rang, he drained his coffee and ran off.

Everyone had agreed to go to Claws' place to read the story. Harley had taken the book, opening to the next chapter.

"Chapter 10: The Trail.

After escaping the nightmare, me and Fungus found out we were in Clawsfield. It was 27 miles from the Monstropolis and I've only been no more than a mile from it. Fungus's grandparents had taken us in till my parents could come and get us. I was sitting on the couch, rocking back and forth with my knees closed to my body. I wanted to forget those months, those nights, but they were relived in everything I saw and I couldn't get them to stop. I shut my eyes, hoping to make them disappear and it wouldn't work.

"Randall, dear? Are you okay?" Fungus's grandma asked.

I didn't answer her. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I bit my lip, hugging myself. I wanted to be far away from people as fast as I could. I couldn't even stand to be touched by anyone, not even Fungus. I knew was going to be having trouble with Emilia and Cheryal on it.

"Here Randall, I brought you some cookies, Oatmeal Raisins. Fungus told me that your parents made you these when you were upset." She told me, sitting next to me and placing the cookies on the coffee table in front of her.

I just stared at my feet, refusing to meet her in the eye. In the corner of my eye I saw her raise a hand to pat my back but a knock on the door stopped her and she went up to answer it. She opened the door to reveal my parents.

"Emilia and Cheryal! You made it, I have them in here, please come in."

They came in and quickly went over to me. They started to hug me, but I shuddered away, squeaking in fear. I didn't want to be touch, I couldn't be touch, it felt wrong, too wrong for me. I shut my eyes, trying not to cry. I had cried so much over the past three months that it felt unnatural.

"Randall…" Cheryal started, reaching a tentacle out for me.

I pulled away. Emilia placed a hand on Cheryal's tentacle, shaking her head. They were going to touch me anyways and I had to get over it, whether I like it or not. Fungus had come in. He stood quietly to the side as Emilia took my hand and pulled me off the couch.

"Do we need to take him to the hospital?" Cheryal asked.

"No, it's already been done."

"I'll have his file transferred over to the hospital in Monstropolis. Thank you for watching over to him. It means so much to us," Cheryal told her as she placed her tentacles on my shoulders. I pulled away. I couldn't stand to be touched anymore. Too many awful memories.

"Let's get you two home, thank you again." Emilia thanked Fungus's grandma as we walked out.

"It was no problem." She told us.

I climbed into the car, buckling myself in and went to stare at the floorboard. Fungus had buckled himself next to meet. I knew in my gut there was going to be a trail and I would have to appear. I didn't think I could do, or have the guts to do it either. Teddy was in the car and I had grabbed her and started to hug her. I couldn't bear to part with her anymore.

After dropping Fungus at his house, we drove home. I didn't want to look at anything that reminded me of the hospital and that horrible place. When we arrived at home, I got out and ran straight to my room. I couldn't take being near the outside world! I knew the only safe place I would be would be in my room, the door and windows locked. I ran into it and ran into my closet, the only safe place I grew to love. I was surrounded by stuffed toys and other stuff. I had placed my thumb in my mouth, Teddy in the crook in my arm, rocking back and forth in order to comfort myself.

"Randall, calm down before you end up falling on your face," Teddy told me.

"And by the way, stop sucking on your thumb before you bite it off, baby." Danny, my stuff dragon told me roughly.

"Shush," Teddy hushed him. "He just got back from a traumatizing thing."

"Suck it up and be a man."

"Says the stuff dragon," Teddy told him.

"Shut your mouth before I cut it off!"

"And how are you going the scissors? Randall can't have adult scissors stupid."

"Both of you shut up," I told them. "I don't know what to do. I see him everywhere! I haven't slept in months and I'm so tired I can fall asleep now! What am I going to do?"

"Talk to your parents, tell them everything." Teddy told me.

"How? I have to go to trail and I'm afraid to face him."

"You can do it."

I took a gulp and stood up on shaking legs. I walked out and came down stairs. I was clutching Teddy in my top arms, hoping to comfort me. Emilia and Cheryal had seen me in the kitchen and went up to me, fussing over me. A knock was on the door. Cheryal went over to the door and opened it. A thin blue skinned monster with glasses was standing in the doorway.

"Hello, I am Mr. Austins. See I'm from the court and I'm here to see if your son can testify in court. May I come in?" He asked.

"Of course," she told him, stepping aside.

He went over to me, smiling kindly. I step back, using Emilia's leg to shield me from him. I was having a hard time to trusting anyone and I didn't want to near anyone.

"Hello Randall. I'm Mr. Austins, I'm from the court and I want to ask you a few questions that you might hear in court, do you think you can do that?"

"I-I don't know…" I whimpered.

"Don't worry. This is like pretend okay?" He told me.

I nodded my head, clutching Teddy closer to me. He pulled one of the chairs out and put a large phone book on it. He sat me on it.

"Now can we see your To-"

"Teddy, her name is Teddy." I told him, shyly.

"Right, can I see Teddy, she's going to be acting like a toy that we will use in the court."

I looked at Teddy, unsure if I should hand her over. She gave me an encouraging nod and I hesitantly gave her to him. He placed another chair a few feet away from me.

"This chair will be where Rico will sit."

I nodded showing my understanding.

"Now Randall," He began pacing in front of me. "You were kidnapped, am I correct?"

"Y-yes sir…" I stammered, shaking.

"And do you see the monster that kidnapped you?"

"Yes sir…"

"Can you point them out?"

I pointed to the chair.

"Very good. Now can you tell me where he touched you on this toy…?"

"Teddy," I corrected.

"I know, can you point to the areas?"

"Here," I pointed to the shoulders, "Here," To her waists, "Here," To the private parts, "And he would kiss my neck and go down."

"Thank you Randall. You did very well." He told me.

I nodded. He handed me back Teddy and I hugged her. I didn't want to be without her. I was too scared. Cheryal had placed her tentacle on my shoulder.

"I think your son will be ready. The trail will start in two weeks. I'll see you folks around, and Randall, make sure that you try and stay brave okay?"

I nodded. He gave his thanks and left.

Two weeks had gone by and the trail was coming up. I have been sleeping with Emilia and Cheryal, frightened to sleep in my own room. They were cleaning me up and making sure I've eaten. I was sure I was going to puke. Cheryal took my hand as we left.

The moment the door opened, I saw Cheyenne. She was dressed in a black jacket, a black tank top, slacks and flats.

"Oh hi, Emilia and Cheryal. I just came to check on Randall." She told them.

"Hello Cheyenne. We can't stay. We have to go to a trail."

"Mind if I come? I heard and dressed to come watch. I wanted to show my support." She replied.

"Of course," Emilia smiled.

We've got into the car and drove to the court. I was so nervous that I was clutching Teddy so hard, I was choking her. I loosen my grip on her.

"Don't worry Ran, you'll do great," Cheyenne told me as she placed her paw on my bottom hand.

"Th-thanks…"

"Anything for you, buddy."

We arrived at the Court. We got out and headed inside. I was sticking close to them as I could. I looked around, seeing all sorts of monsters moving, shuffling through papers, talking on the phone and doing many things. We walked into the court room. Mr. Austins was there.

"Ah, hello Mrs. and Mrs. Boggs, and hello to you too Randall, I'm glad you could make it."

"Anything we can do to make this horrible man pay." Emilia told him.

"Good, I'll see you in court." He replied and walked off.

In the court, I was sitting with Emilia, Cheryal, Fungus and his parents, along with Mr. Austins. Rico and his attorney were sitting on the other side of us. The judge was a green skinned monster, wearing a bluish-black robe with white curly hair. He slammed his gravel down, causing everyone to stop talking.

"Okay," he began, putting his spectacles on and looking at the papers in front of him. "The people Vs. Mr. Rico Stevens on Kidnapping and Rape in the first degree, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty your honor," Rico told him.

"Well if we can begin, I…" He stopped and looked at me. "Why does that child have a stuff bear in his arms?"

"Your honor, this child is the one that Mr. Stevens had alleged to be sexually assaulted and this toy is too comfort him, he did have some traumatizing days, sir."

"I'll allow it then. Carry on."

"Judge, I would like to call my first witness to the stand, Miss Cheyenne Wags." Mr. Austins called.

Cheyenne stepped through the doors and walked up to the stand. The cop went to her and placed his hand in the air.

"Do you promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

"I do," she answered.

"You may sit." He told her.

She sat down. Mr. Austins went up to her.

"Miss Wags, how long have you known Mr. Randall Boggs and Mr. Fungus Oz?"

"Two years."

"So you've been friends for a long time, am I correct."

"Yes."

"Can you tell me what happened on the day Randall and Fungus went missing?"

"Well it was the last day of school. Me and Fungus were going to take Randall to the Arcade; it was going to be his first time. We had to stop half-way for me to use the little girls' room. I was coming out when I saw them getting pulled into what looked like a white Ice Cream truck, but it didn't have the giant Ice cream cone on top. I started to run after them, but it was too fast. So I went to the newest phone and dialed 911. I then notified their parents."

"You knew their numbers?"

"Yes. Randall had us learned them so if something bad happen we could notify them."

"He seemed to be prepared."

"Yes. He's very cautious when it comes to bad things happening in the world."

"And how often is he cautious about this?"

"24/7, sir."

"Thank you. No further questions your honor."

"Mr. Sludge, would you like to cross examine the witness?" The judge asked the guy that was supporting Rico.

"Yes, Miss Wags, when you saw Mr. Boggs and Mr. Oz being up ducted, what store were you in?"

"The Screaming Scab," she replied.

"Isn't that the store for gothic monsters?"

"Yea?"

"And isn't their policy that you have to buy something in order to use their facilities?"

"Yes, I purchased a bag of slug worms, I have the recite." She told him, handing him the recite.

"So you were, the only one that saw them get kidnapped?"

"No,"

"Didn't anyone else call the police?"

"The girl at the desk."

"Thank you, no further questions."

"You may step down." The judge told her.

She walked off and went back to her seat. I looked at Teddy, not wanting to make eye contact. Mr. Austins proceeded to do his job.

"I would like to call Randall Boggs to the stand."

I jerked my head up. Emilia took Teddy and motioned me to go ahead. I cautiously went up to the stand, climbing up onto the chair.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Randall Boggs…" I answered.

"And Randall, how old are you?"

"Nine…"

"And have you ever met this man before?" He asked, pointing to Rico.

"No sir,"

"But you were kidnapped by him, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Do you see the man in this court that touched you?"

"Yes," I nodded and pointed at Rico, "It was him."

"And did this man sexually assault you?"

"Y-Yes…" I whimpered, almost started to cry.

"Can you tell me where he touched you on this doll?" He asked, holding a toy doll to me.

I pointed to the same areas that I did with Teddy weeks ago. I had broken down, crying.

"No further questions,"

"Does the defendant want to cross examine the witness?" The judge asked.

"Uh… we have no questions for the child."

"You may step down."

I walked off, going back to Emilia's lap and took a hold of Teddy. After a while Fungus, Emilia, Cheryal and Rico went on the stand. I didn't dare look at Rico while he was up. I couldn't.

"The jury will go make their final decision," the judge replied, and the jury stood up and left. Everyone got up and left, going to the hall, restroom, wherever people do in the court house will the jury is doing their thing.

After a while, we came back into the court and waiting for the jury to make their decision. They came back in and we stood up.

"Has the jury made a decision?" The judge asked.

"Yes. For kidnapping in the first degree, we have found the defendant, guilty."

"And how has the jury come up with a decision on rape in the first degree of a minor?"

"We have founded the defendant, guilty."

My parents, Fungus's and the others cheered.

"What?" Rico roared. He started charging at me. I yelped and turned invisible, hiding behind Emilia's leg. The cops came back and restrained him, carrying him out. I whimpered, as Emilia's hand rested on the back of my head. I uncamouflaged myself and watched as he was taken away.

"I'll kill that kid! I'll kill him!"

I gulped as I cowered once again. Not only did I have to worry on forgetting what he did to me, know I had to worry about him coming after me and killing me. I didn't know how I would get over it, nor would I survive."

"That must've been hard…" Needleman started.

"How could it not? He was kidnapped, raped multiple times and had to face that guy in court. There's no way he could manage to get through this on his own. As we read he was already on the verge of a break down." Waxford told him.

"I don't know if we should continue…" Claws began.

"We have to, the more we read, the more we'll find out about Randall, then we can be able to understand him." Sulley told him.

"I don't think we can. We haven't gone through half of what Randall had gone through, how can we understand him?" Bile asked.

No one answered. He was right. There was no way they could understand him, for what they've done. Randall had more problems, then what they in a life time. There was no way they were going to understand him… ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea... I dunno anything about court procedures. I'm going off all the Law and Order episodes I say. So take it with a grain of salt. But even with the horrid mon gone, there's still have a lot left in the book. And it's only a matter of time until they discover more of the reptile.


	11. Runaway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They continue reading.

Chapter 11: Runaway

Randall didn't know what to do. He had been looking for his book for days and he still hasn't found it. He was in his room, looking at an old scrapbook, that his parents gave him to look at. He opened the book to a picture of when he was on his ninth birthday. Randall studied the picture, how young and innocent he was, before he was kidnapped. He shut the book, unable to look at it.

He stood up and left his apartment. He had packed a few things and went over to his parent's house. He had gone to a 24 hour coffee shop and got himself a latte. When he walked out, he had bumped into Needleman.

"Ah!" Randall exclaimed as the hot coffee got on him. "Watch where ya going!"

"Sorry… Randall!" He exclaimed.

"Needleman?"

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Getting a Latte, why?"

"U-uh no reason…"

"Right… we'll I gotta go." Randall told him, walking off.

Needleman had started to run back to the gang. He ran back in, almost tripping over his feet.

"Guys! Y-you won't believe who I just saw!"

"Who?" Smitty asked.

"Randall! He was getting a latte!"

"Why does that not surprise me?" Mike asked.

"Well Randall does like his coffee, now who's turn is it to read?" Sulley asked.

"I got it," Smitty replied, taking the book.

"Chapter 11: Taken.

A year after the incident, I was sitting in my room, working on my science fair project. I've won the fair for three years in a row and I wasn't going to stop my streak yet. I was working on my newest project, an electromagnetic magnet. It was about my size. I had taken a pack of soda and placed it under the magnet. I pulled out the remote and it the button.

The magnet brought the soda up to it and smashed it. Soda went everywhere. I was drenched. I started to clean up the soda. My invention worked! I would've let out a scream of excitement, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise.

"Isn't this great Teddy? My invention worked! I'm going to win first place again!"

Teddy smiled and I started to pack it up.

"This is going to be perfect!" I exclaimed.

"As long as Spencer McDouglus doesn't beat you."

"Spencer…" I hissed.

Spencer McDouglus was my arch rival. He was a reptile like me, only he was blue with a green tail and with the same pink tipped fronds. He was the first reptile that I meet since I was an infant. When we meet I thought we were going to be friends, but it turned to where we become hated enemies, so that philosophy was a bust.

"Well he's not gonna. He's beat me at everything except the spelling bee and the science fair and he's not going to start this year! I, Randall J. Boggs, will not let Spencer beat me!"

"Randall! Are you ready?" Cheryal called.

"In a minute!" I called, putting my project in my special hovercraft wagon. What? They don't call me a prodigy for nothing. I figured that my genius would be too hard for normal monsters to handle. I started pulling my wagon down the stairs and pulled it outside.

I sat it in my project in the trunk, my wagon going into it as well. I shut it and got into the back seat. I buckled myself in. The science fair and spelling bee was the only thing that cheered me up. Emilia and Cheryal had got into the car and drove to the school. I looked at the science fair pamphlet, hugging it. The science fair was the only place that I felt like myself.

When we arrived, I scrambled out, waiting for Emilia and Cheryal to open the trunk. When they did, I grabbed my project.

"Randall slow down honey, you'll end up tripping and hurt yourself." Emilia told me.

"I can't help it mom! The science fair is my area! Just like the spelling bee!"

"Okay, just don't get a little too ahead of yourself okay?"

"Promise mom." I replied, pulling my wagon in.

I went inside to see Mr. Longslug and Mrs. Evens.

"Hello Randall, I see you have another project for us this year; I'm guessing you're going to blow us away again?" Mrs. Even asked.

"You bet!" I told her, "So where do I set up at?"

"Near the back, your name is on the table." Mr. Longslug told me.

"Thank you."

I pulled my wagon to the back of the room, looking for my name. I saw it and started to set my project up. I started to set it up. When I was done I had covered it up.

"We're still not allowed to see your project?" Emilia asked as she and Cheryal came up.

"Nope, it's going to be a surprise." I told them.

"Okay, we can't wait to see what our little genius had come up with this time," Cheryal smiled.

"Thanks mom, can I have a few minutes to fix a few things?" I asked.

"Of course, we'll go get some punch, do want us to bring you some?"

"No thanks. I don't like punch,"

"Oh I'm sorry, honey I forgot,"

"Good-bye…" I told them, pushing them away.

"Okay, okay, we're gone, you don't see us anymore," Cheryal replied, walking away with Emilia.

I had uncovered it and started checking on my project. I grabbed my screwdriver and started fixing one of the loose bolts. I grabbed a six pack of grape soda and started testing my project. The six pack went up to the magnet, smashing and spraying soda everywhere. I smiled.

"Well, well, so this is the famous Randall Boggs invention," a smooth voice replied.

I turned around to see Spencer. The little stuck up rich boy that I hate. I growled.

"Hmm, nothing special, not like what Daddy's scientist has done for me."

"What? You can't have help! It's against the rules!"

"And what are you going to do about it?" Spencer sneered at me.

I growled. I couldn't be a snitch, but following the rules was important! Without structure there would be nothing but chaos.

"Face it Spencer. You hate that fact that someone's better at something at you, so you can't let them work, or it looks bad on your family. News flash! The world doesn't revolve around you! So get used to the fact that someone is better at you at something! I will beat you, like I do every year and you'll have to get use to the fact."

"We'll see Boggs. We'll see…" He told me, walking off.

I growled. I grabbed one of the sodas and squeezed it, soda drizzling down my hand. I tossed the can behind me, having it land in the trash. That no good little rich kid! Rich kids shouldn't be allowed to join stuff if their parents were going to do it for them. I cleaned up the soda.

"Stupid Spencer. Thinks he owns everything when he doesn't."

I suddenly felt hands cover my eyes and the world was dark.

"Guess who," a voice replied.

"Fungus, uncover my eyes. I have work to do."

He uncovered my eyes. I went back to my machine.

"So what's your little doohickey do?" He asked.

"It's an electromagnet. I take this can of grape soda, and with this remote, I push this button and 11,000 magnetic tons will take this can and pull it up, the force will be so strong and it'll crush the can, causing the force of the magnet to push out the carbonated beverage."

"Wow… I may be up there with the nerds… but you my friend; I can't even understand what you say."

"You don't know genius."

"Mr. Boggs that was amazing!"

Me and Fungus turned around to see one of the judges. My mouth hanged open and I started stammering. I may be a boy genius, but some things not even I can be prepared for. My stomach started fluttering nervously.

"I-I-I… thank you sir…"

"We'll I know someone is still going to keep his winning streak." The judge told me.

He marked down something on his clipboard. I was shaking. What can I say? This and the spelling bee were the two biggest things in my life! And possibly my first kiss, but I knew I would never get that yet. (Not until I'm thirteen that is! I can't wait!)

Suddenly a tall stout green skinned monster wearing a pair of glasses went up to me. I tilted my head.

"Hello, I'm Mr. Slugworth."

"I'm sorry, I can't talk to strangers."

"But I'm from Child services."

"I don't care who you are, I'm not allowed to talk to strangers. Bye."

I started to walk away when he grabbed my arm.

"Hey! Let go!"

I tried to pull away, when I saw Emilia and Cheryal come over. Fungus was helping me get away, but man that dude was strong! Emilia and Cheryal came over to me and took me away.

"Do you want to tell us, why you had grabbed our son?" Emilia growled.

"I'm from Child Services. And I have a few complaints and references about your parenting style. And I came to see how well you were parenting him."

"Well as you can see, our child is fine."

"Right well I just want to ask Randall a few questions."

"Could this wait till after the science fair? Randall's been looking forward for this all year."

"Of course."

I looked at them, and opened my mouth to protest, but they pushed me towards my project, not giving me a word of how I felt about this. To be honest, I wasn't please. If I knew anything, Spencer or Mr. Plufinger, our next door neighbor had called him.

Well to sum it up, I won again; Spencer was mad, blah, blah, blah. You get the picture.

"You got lucky peasant."

"Not my fault for your disqualification. That's a lesson to you snob."

"Watch your mouth, nerd,"

"I don't have too."

"Randall!" Cheryal exclaimed when she heard me and Spencer at it.

Aw crap… I was so in for it. Emilia and Cheryal had raised me with the 'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all' lesson. But I had ended up using Uncle Rhoul's tactic on not trying to be a push-over and to stand up for myself, and that didn't seem to work either.

"You know we don't make harsh comments to others."

"He started it," I muttered.

"I don't care if he started it or not, that's not how we raised you."

I knew there was only one way out of it.

"You're right mom; I'm really sorry Spencer, even if you never had a close bond with your parents, it was still very wrong for us to do what we did."

Spencer growled as I grinned.

"Thank you Randall. Now pack up, we have to go home."

"Yes mother," I replied as she took my hand.

I spun my head around and stuck my tongue at him. He growled at me, and I turned to look forward, smiling as I packed my stuff up. I pulled the wagon out and loaded the car. I climbed in, admiring the trophy that I got. Behind us, Mr. Slugworth was following us home. When we arrived, I pulled my stuff in, taking it to my room. I came back down to see Emilia and Cheryal talking to Mr. Slugworth.

"Ah Randall," Mr. Slugworth smiled. "Ready for those questions?"

I nodded as I went over to Emilia, being put on her lap.

"Now, are you a happy child?" he asked me.

"Moderately happy, why?"

"Have your parent's ever hurt you?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "Th-they would never!"

"Okay, there's no reason to get excited. Did your parents ever do anything, inappropriate with you?"

"No, but Uncle Rhoul took me to a night club when I was seven does that help?"

He wrote something down on his clipboard. I looked up at Emilia and she shrugged. I looked back at Mr. Slugworth.

"Has your Uncle done anything else?"

"Uh… he watched some scary movies with me, uh… taught me how to pick-pocket…"

"What?"

"Mr. Slugworth, I promise you that we have stopped my brother and took care of everything. I promise you, that we would never let Randall do that."

"But Uncle Rhoul said…" I started.

"Honey? Why don't you go upstairs and play, while we grown-ups have a talk." Emilia told me, nudging me off.

"Soon I'll be eleven, then I get to know stuff." I told him, and walked off.

I went to the other room and hid behind the wall, eavesdropping on them. I blended into my surroundings and snuck into the room. I went up to the couch and poked my head from behind.

"Well given the fact of what happened to him, when he was nine, and what his Uncle has done, I have no choice but to take him away."

"What? You can't be serious!" Cheryal exclaimed.

"We've done everything we can to protect him!" Emilia added.

"I'm sorry, but he's not safe here. Your brother has put him in serious danger in the past, I have no choice but to do what is best."

"Mr. Slugworth please, Randall is our life! We vowed to protect him!" Cheryal told him.

I-I was going to be taken away? I shook my head. No, I couldn't be. I loved being Emilia and Cheryal! They were the best thing to happen to me! I staggered back. It was bad enough to live through what I have… but being taken away? No! I wouldn't let it happen. I unblended myself and ran up to Cheryal and hugged her.

"No! I don't wanna leave! I want to stay here and be with you! Don't let him take me!" I cried out, clinging onto her.

"Randall, it's going to be okay," Cheryal told me.

"No! I don't want to go!" I told her. "You're the best thing that happened to me! I don't want to go the orphanage again! I don't like it there! Don't let me go!"

Cheryal hugged me, stroking my fronds to settle me down. I didn't want to go back there. It was horrible.

"I don't want to go," I sobbed.

"You can't take him away,"

"I'm sorry but I have to, it's the law." Mr. Slugworth told her, grabbing my arm and pulling me away.

I started to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let go. I couldn't let him take me, I wanted to stay with them and I needed Teddy. I kicked him in the shin and ran off.

"I'm not going!" I yelled.

I slammed the door and locked it. I grabbed my book bag and started tossing a few things in. I tucked Teddy in and climbed out the window.

"Randall, what are you doing?" Teddy asked me.

"Running away so I can stay with Emilia and Cheryal."

"And running away is the best option?"

"I'm not fully running away, just till that man goes away. I'm going to call grandma, so I'm going to Fungus's house."

"Randall, go home now. You're too young to make this big of a decision, when Emilia and Cheryal find out that your gone, they'll panic! Please, go back."

"No." I ran up to Fungus's house and knocked on the door.

Fungus opened the door and saw me.

"Randall? What are you doing?"

"I-I ran away…"

"You what? Randall! You have to go back home!"

"N-no! He'll take me away!" I exclaimed as I walked in.

"Who will?"

"This Child Service guy! He's going to take me away and have me live in the orphanage!"

"So what do we do?"

"Can you call my grandma?"

"Which one? Emilia's side or Cheryal's?

"Cheryal's! Grandma's a lawyer. If she can win any case then she can get me to stay with Emilia and Cheryal and I don't have to go with that guy!"

"But she lives in Clawsville and that's seven hours away."

I had sat on the couch and buried my head in my knees. I didn't know what to do anymore. Emilia and Cheryal are the best parents I could ever ask for. Better than anyone that I met. I didn't want to be taken away. They taught me everything I know, showed me thinks that I didn't think would be possible, and I was going to lose all that.

"Maybe I can see if you can stay till she comes. But I don't feel comfortable about lying."

"Neither do I, but I can't let him take me away from Emilia and Cheryal."

"I'll make the call, so hang tight, make yourself comfortable, and I'll see how I can get my parents to get you to stay."

I gulped as I pulled Teddy out. I didn't want to leave, but I knew this would be the only way to stay with Emilia and Cheryal, but I knew that I wouldn't get to stay with them after this…"

"That must be horrible. To finally get a family that loves you and to be taken away…" Sulley replied.

"Yeah… real sad… who wants coffee?" Mike asked.

"Mike," Sulley scowled.

"I was kidding," Mike replied. "After all, Randall's life is such a tragedy."

Sulley rolled his eyes. He knew Mike was more understanding of Randall a little bit more. They could tell that Randall wasn't a jerk that they thought he was, but a misunderstood reptile, who wanted nothing but a family to love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being taken away by Child Services is scary (I'm assuming). You never know what's going to happen to you. Thankfully Randall has his amazing moms and his logical best friend on his side!


	12. Close Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They continue on.

Chapter 12: Close Encounter

Randall had walked in, wearing sunglasses. He was refusing to take them off. Sulley had went up to him.

"Randall? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sullivan. Why do you care?"

"Well, you can't see when you're wearing sunglasses in a kid's room."

"I'll manage."

Randall had started to walk off, but Sulley grabbed his arm and pulled him back, taking the sunglasses off.

"No! Don't!" Randall exclaimed.

The moment the glasses came on, everyone gasped. Randall had a black eye. The lizard monster placed a hand over it, turning away.

"Randall, what happened?" Claws asked.

"I uh… tripped and ran into the door. I'll be fine."

Randall had pulled away. He grabbed the sunglasses and placed them back on his face, covering his eyes.

"Now, I'm busy. Let me do my job and I'll let you do yours."

Everyone watched in worried as Randall worked. He had trouble seeing the whole time and got more bruises each time he tried to scare. But lunch time, he was a battered monster. Randall was sent to Roz's office to get treated. Everyone was in the cafeteria, ready for the next chapter. Seymour took the book.

"I got this. Chapter 12: Close Encounter

I knew running away was wrong. I did. But I couldn't go back to the orphanage. I couldn't. It always seemed that the bad stuff happened to me. I didn't know why. Was it because I was born on Friday the thirteenth? Because I was born prematurely? Because I was born into an abusive family? I didn't know and I think didn't want to anyways. Fungus had handed me a glass of milk, sitting next to me.

"Randall, I know you have to do this, but the running away? Emilia and Cheryal must be worried sick! This guy could hold them accountable for you running off! And I have no idea if you're grandma is coming or not. Randall, do the smart thing. Go home, please."

"No! I'm not going home!" I replied stubbornly.

"Randall, please!" Fungus begged.

"I said no, Fungus. I'm not going home till grandma gets here. I'm not going back to the orphanage, and I'm not going to let that man take me away!"

Fungus let out a sigh. I knew he was upset about this, but I couldn't go back. Not yet. Something was wrong, I could feel it. There was a knock on the door and Fungus went over to the door and opened it, seeing Cheryal's mom.

"Hello, Mrs. Boggs." Fungus replied.

"Hello Fungus, is Randall still here?"

"Yes'm. He's on the couch." Fungus replied, stepping out of the way.

Grammy, that's what I call her, walked in. She went over to the couch and sat next to me.

"Randall, what's this about you running away?" She asked, putting a tentacle around my shoulder.

"This man was going to take me away. Back to the orphanage. I don't want to go back there, it's a horrible place. You're a lawyer, Grammy. Can't you do something to make sure that he won't do it? Please?"

"I'll see what a can do, but I can't make any promises, only that I can make sure justice is done." She told me.

I let out sigh.

"Come along," she replied, holding her tentacle out for me to grab. "We're going someplace, and make sure you get your bag too."

I took it and went off to get Teddy and my stuff. When I came back, she grabbed my hand; thanking Fungus's parents for letting me stay and left the house. I got in the car and buckled myself in. Grammy got in, buckled herself in, and drove away. I looked at the floor.

"Randall, I know you don't like the orphanage. I wouldn't blame you. But running away, that's not a good thing. Emilia and Cheryal must be worried sick. They might've thought you've been kidnapped, or worst. You have to think about these things."

"I know… and I'm sorry. I just didn't want to be taken away. I'm sorry Grammy."

"I know you are."

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Butterflies were in my stomach as we drove home. I knew I was going to be in lots of trouble when I got home, but it was going to be all worth it if I get to stay with Emilia and Cheryal. We arrived back at the house. Grammy pulled me out and walked into the house.

"Emilia, Cheryal! I have something that belongs to you." Grammy replied, pushing me in front of her.

"Randall!" They exclaimed, running over to me and started the stuffing out of me.

I winced in pain. I was too thin to be hugged normally because all it did was cause hurt me. My bones were too thin and brittle. So I had to stay away from rough sports like football, not that I really played. I wasn't much of a football player.

"That's nice, now it's time for me to take the brat… I mean angel back to the orphanage." Mr. Slugworth replied, grabbing my arm and pulled me away from Emilia and Cheryal.

"No!" I exclaimed pulling back. "Grammy! Help!"

"Excuse me, Mr. Slugworth is it? Well I am a lawyer and my young client has informed me that he was legally adopted, so under the law you have no right to take him. And I have witness that they have taken very good care of him. He is fed nutritious meals, taken to regular doctor check-ups, going to school. They've been raising him pretty well."

"Well I got a call that they were abusing and not watching him properly."

"Who told you that?"

"I can't say, except that he was rich."

"Spencer McDouglus!" I shouted. "Don't listen to that backstabbing, two-faced snob! He don't know what he's talking about!"

"You know the son?" Mr. Slugworth asked.

"He's a jerk!"

"Randall!" Cheryal scowled, "You know we don't talk that way about people."

"Well he is!" I replied.

"Well… if you're sure they're good parents…" Mr. Slugworth muttered, releasing my arm.

I ran over to Emilia, jumping into her arms as she hugged me. I smiled, looking up at her with wet eyes. I couldn't believe it! I was staying! I didn't have to go back to that roach and rat infested place! Or get picked on and pushed around, it was like a dream come true! Emilia and Cheryal kissed me, causing me to cling onto them. I didn't want to lose them ever again. They were the best thing that ever happened to me. Losing them was like dying and I couldn't stand that."

"Wow, I never met anyone that would die for their parents…" George mused.

"Randall seems like he's too clingy to them. If I was them, I couldn't take it." Mike replied.

"Well you can't blame him Googly," Celia replied. "He was abused was as a small child, forced to move to an orphanage where no one would pay any attention to him, adopted and beaten by several bullies, kidnapped, I can see why he would be so clingy to them."

Everyone looked to see Randall across the room to see Randall sitting next to Fungus, bandages and bruises covering him. They couldn't believe that this independent monster was actually a sensitive damaged kid willing to do anything for his parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank god for grandmother's, they are able to save the day! Especially if one is lawyer. What will they learn next about the lizard monster?


	13. Arachnophobia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the day continues, they learn that Randall has a fear of spiders.

Chapter 13: Arachnophobia

Everyone watched as Randall limped out of the factory. They couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the reptile. He was a beaten monster by the time work was over. Everyone had went over to Celia's apartment to read the next chapter of the book. One of the assistants, Betty had taken the book.

"I'll read this time," She told them. "Chapter 13: Arachnophobia. Since my little runaway incident, I had gotten glasses. Thick, purple round classes. It turned out that over the course of the years I was going blind, not by a disease, but since I got beaten in the head so much, that section of my brain that controlled my sight has been failing over the years. So I was labeled legally blind. Since then me, Fungus and Cheyenne had entered high school. I had bumped up to Cheyenne's class along with Fungus.

"This is so awesome!" Cheyenne exclaimed as she leaned next to my locker. "Can you believe this? You're going to the nationals again! That's your… what? Fifth time?"

"Sixth."

"Dang Randall, how can you memorize spelling all those words?" Fungus asked, repositioning his glasses.

"It's really not that hard. Some people have a special way to remember. Since I have a photographic memory, I don't need a routine."

"We better get to class, we don't want the teacher to bite our heads off and spit them out. Urg, math, I don't get it."

"I like science. It's English that's my main thing." I replied, following her.

"We all have our weakness," Fungus added. "I should get to Biology. See you later guys!"

Me and Cheyenne walked over to our math class. About half way there, I noticed that I forgotten my math binder.

"I'll catch up later, I forgot my math binder and homework." I told her.

"Okay, I'll see if I can cause trouble."

I ran off to my locker, opening it and picked up the blue binder. I was suddenly pulled back and shoved to the ground, my glasses flying off. I flipped over feeling for them.

"My glasses," I whimpered, feeling for them. "I can't see a thing without my glasses,"

I felt my glasses and placed my hand on them, only to feel someone stepping on it, keeping it from moving.

"Um… could you please move your hand?" I asked.

"I don't think so Randork,"

My blind eyes widen. It was Bruno! Not him. I tried to pull my hand back, but his foot prevented me. He grabbed me and slammed me into my locker.

"I think it's time for your daily case of pain," Bruno replied.

"Yea! Pain!" Rico echoed.

I don't know what happened, but I assumed that Bruno punched him.

"Ow! What I do? What I do?"

I felt something slam into my chest, causing me to place my hands around it. I heard a crunch, causing my stomach to tighten.

"Oops, did I step on your glasses? My bad." A heard Skeeter replied.

"Enjoy your gift, Lizard-boy," Bruno sneered, slamming my locker door shut, keeping me from escaping.

Gift? I ran my hand over whatever was in my hands. It felt smooth, rounded and going up. It wasn't that big as I could tell. It was more like a large jar. It didn't have a top. Why didn't it have one? I stick my hand in it and I swore my heart jumped to my throat. I could feel something fuzzy, and it had a lot of legs and there was more than one that I could tell. I bit my lip. Suddenly it bit me and I screamed. Not in fear, but more like surprise. But man did it hurt! I dropped the jar, and whatever was in it, cradling my hand.

I started banging on my locker.

"Help! Hello! Is anyone out there?" I called.

A shiver went up my spine. I could feel the prickly, fuzzy legs climbing over my feet and climbing up my legs. I felt small bites on me, causing me to bang on the door.

"Help! Help!" I wailed.

I don't know what was crawling on me, but I didn't want it to. I felt my blood turn ice cold as the creatures climbed on me. I don't know how long I was in there, but it was torture.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed.

I felt that I was getting weaker. I kept banging on my locker, calling for help. But every moment I did, I felt that my voice was getting farther and farther away. I was so dizzy, light-headed. Whatever was trapped in here with me, I didn't want to be around ever again. I was blind, shaking, getting sick from whatever bit me.

"Help!" I screamed one last time.

Suddenly I heard someone.

"Ran? Is that you dude?"

"Cheyenne! Get me out!" I coughed.

"Okay, hold on!" she replied, putting in my locker combo.

I screamed as I felt one of the creatures bit my shoulder. The door flung opened, having me fall onto the ground, wildly flaring around to get that fuzzy demon off me.

"Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" I told her.

"Ew! Spiders!" she exclaimed, getting them off of me.

I shuddered, shaking as I dusted myself off.

"I-I-I," I stuttered, clinging on her.

"It's going to be okay, Ran. What happened to your glasses?"

"Sk-Sk-Skeeter..." I replied, still clinging onto her arm. "H-h-he stepped on them…"

"What?"

I felt something on my foot and screamed. Cheyenne moved me to the side and I heard something get squashed. I felt myself fall back and she grabbed me, supporting me.

"Are you okay?"

"I-I-I don't f-f-feel so g-good…" I told her.

"I'll go take you to the nurse. Those idiots! Putting a jar of poisonous red back tarantulas in with you!"

"P-p-poisonous?" I echoed.

She guided me to the nurse's office.

"Nurse help!" Cheyenne told her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Randall was shoved into a locker with poisonous red back tarantulas and he got bit by them! Can you help him?"

"Tarantulas? I can't do anything except send him to the hospital."

"Well call them before he dies!"

Die? I didn't want to die. I had too much to do! I whimpered as I looked around. I never want to be around spiders ever again and I want my back-up glasses! I can't stand to not see anything. It hurt to move, blink, breathe.

"Lie him down on one of the medical bed I got. I'll call the hospital now."

As Cheyenne laid me down, I felt a jolt of pain run up my arm, causing me to sit up and cry out in pain. It hurt so much. I don't know how long I had to wait for the ambulance but it felt like forever. I couldn't bear to blink. All I could see was the horrible, horrible, horrible spiders crawling all over me. I shuddered. I could feel how I was getting weaker.

"It's going to be okay Ran," she told me as they pulled me into the ambulance.

I felt like I was going to die at some point. Oh it was so cold, so very, very, very cold. I felt someone prick me with a needle. I winced as they injected me. Ow… I should work out more. I could feel every drop. Spooky. I don't think normal monsters could feel every drop of whatever it was. I felt better, not much but it was a lot better than what I was feeling from earlier. Ow, my eyes are hurting. Being without glasses can be such a problem.

"My glasses…" I muttered, trying to sit up.

"Whoa there kid, lay down."

I sighed as I did. I may not be able to see, but all I could see was those spiders. I couldn't help but shudder. We had arrived at the hospital. At that time I later learned that Cheyenne had shoved Bruno, Skeeter and Rico into a wall, threatening them. I had gotten an IV and some antidote that cured me. Close call too because I was swelling up like a balloon.

"Randall, are you okay?" a female asked.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Yes honey, it's going to be okay, you'll be okay."

I wish I would be okay. I couldn't see anything but those spiders, and I was still shaking. I had a new fear, I was blind and I knew that it was only going to get worst."

"Ew… spiders." Celia grimaced. "I can understand that."

"But he and spiders have a lot in common." Needleman pointed out. "They both have eight legs, they can climb walls…"

"And slimy, evil creatures," Mike added roughly.

"Mike," Sulley scowled.

"What?" he asked.

"Never mind," Sulley muttered. "We should get going."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I personally don't have a fear of spiders, but I can understand those that do. As for me, mine are snakes and geese.
> 
> What's will the group find out next? Stay tuned!

**Author's Note:**

> Get ready folks, you're in for a wild ride! Beware of the warnings. They're there for a reason.
> 
> Thanks for reading and please comment!


End file.
